JEDDAH, August 21, 2026 (WAFA) — Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hussein Ibrahim Taha condemned Israel’s announcement of a tender for the construction of 1,234 new settlement units under the so-called E1 plan in occupied Jerusalem.

In a statement, Taha said the move constitutes a continuation of Israeli colonial settlement, annexation, forced displacement and the imposition of facts on the ground, aimed at altering the legal, political and demographic status of the occupied Palestinian territory.

He warned of the grave dangers posed by the settlement plan, which threatens the forced displacement of Bedouin communities, isolates occupied Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, fragments the territorial unity of the occupied Palestinian territory, and undermines international efforts to implement the two-state solution.

Taha reaffirmed that Israeli colonial settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory are illegal under international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 2334, as well as the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on the matter.

He called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and take immediate measures to compel Israel, as the occupying power, to comply with its international obligations and immediately halt its systematic crimes and violations against the Palestinian people, their land and holy sites.

M.N