The foreign ministers of Brazil, France, Spain, Turkey, and various other states condemned Israeli decisions that they said introduce sweeping extensions to unlawful Israeli control over the West Bank.
"Changes are wide-ranging, reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called Israeli ‘state land’, accelerating illegal settlement activity, and further entrenching Israeli administration," said the joint statement, issued late on Monday by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Other countries that signed the statement included Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, as well as the heads of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Israel's cabinet on February 15 approved further measures to tighten Israel's control over the West Bank and make it easier for settlers to buy land, a move Palestinians called a "de facto annexation."
The West Bank is among the territories that Palestinians seek for an independent future state. Much of it is under Israeli military control, with limited Palestinian self-rule in some areas run by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.
Joint statement says decisions to annex WB violate international law
The joint statement said the settlements and decisions designed to further them are "a flagrant violation of international law" and a step towards "unacceptable de facto annexation."
It said they also undermine the ongoing efforts for peace and stability in the region and threaten any meaningful prospect of regional integration.
The West Bank annexation theme has been widely discussed worldwide, sparking diverse opinions on how Israel should address the matter.
Last week, the UN convened for a discussion to deal with the Israeli government's decisions to promote the further entrenchment of control in the West Bank.
The session was initiated by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. The foreign ministers of Britain, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain are expected to participate.
Israel was represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who is expected to meet with US Ambassador to the UN Mike Walz prior to the session.
"Gaza must not get stuck in a no-man's-land between peace and war," Cooper stated, in reference to repeated ceasefire violations and Israeli strikes.
She also described the uptick in settler violence against West Bank Palestinians as "deeply, deeply wrong," as well as calling it counterproductive to the potential for future peace.