The United Nations has firmly rejected any proposals for the annexation or forced transfer of Palestinian territories, deeming them unlawful and warning of the broader regional consequences.
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stressed the need to resist normalisation of such measures.
“We must resist any normalisation of unlawful conduct, including proposals for annexation or forced transfer,” he stated. “This is the moment for voices of reason to prevail.”
Türk did not specify which proposals he was referring to, but tensions have surged in the West Bank amid increasing Israeli settler violence and Israel’s expanded military operations in the occupied territories.
His remarks follow controversial suggestions by US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly floated the idea of relocating Gaza’s Palestinian population.
Trump proposed a US-led takeover of Gaza, under which Palestinians would be moved to neighbouring countries such as Jordan or Egypt—an idea that has been widely condemned but found support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Although Trump later walked back his remarks, his official social media accounts on Wednesday posted an AI-generated video portraying Gaza transformed into a luxury seaside resort, complete with a towering golden statue of himself.
Türk also used his address to call for urgent efforts to end the conflict, stressing that accountability for war crimes is key to preventing further violence.
He also cast doubt on Israel’s ability to conduct impartial investigations into alleged human rights abuses in Gaza and the West Bank.
At the same time, Türk condemned Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for “taking, holding, and torturing hostages in Gaza” and indiscriminately firing rockets into Israel, actions he said amounted to war crimes.
He noted that none of these groups had taken steps to hold their members accountable.
“Impunity begets more violence,” he warned, stressing that independent investigations were necessary to ensure justice.
While Türk refrained from naming specific figures, his comments came shortly after the United States imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan.
The sanctions followed Khan’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
