Tel Aviv, July 24 -- Israel's parliament has passed a non-binding motion supporting the annexation of the occupied West Bank, a move that has drawn strong criticism from Palestinian leaders and countries across the Middle East.

The vote, held on Wednesday, July 23, passed with 71 members in favour and 13 opposed in the 120-seat Knesset. The motion was introduced by right-wing lawmakers Simcha Rothman, Orit Strock, Dan Illouz, and Oded Forer, and backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition.

The resolution, which is declarative and carries no immediate legal force, calls for "applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley"-Israeli terms for the West Bank, the Palestinian News Agency Wafa reported ...