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The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have jointly condemned Israel's settlement policies in the occupied West Bank and rejected its planned development in the E1 area east of occupied East Jerusalem.
Eight Countries Condemn Israeli Settlement Expansion
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have jointly condemned Israel's settlement policies in the occupied West Bank and rejected its planned development in the E1 area east of occupied East Jerusalem.
In a joint statement, the eight countries said they "categorically reject" the E1 settlement plan and related Israeli activities in the area.
The ministers also "unequivocally condemn" Israel's continued expansion of settlements, which are regarded as illegal under international law, and renewed their criticism of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
The E1 project, which would pave the way for about 1,200 new settlement housing units in the occupied West Bank, represents a serious escalation, the ministers said.
They warned that the plan would accelerate settlement expansion and annexation while threatening the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state.
The eight countries said the development could further undermine prospects for a viable and geographically connected Palestinian state by creating a settlement corridor between East Jerusalem and the northern and southern parts of the West Bank.
The foreign ministers also called for greater international accountability over settlement activity.
They backed efforts to impose appropriate international measures and sanctions on individuals and organisations responsible for illegal settlement construction, as well as those accused of supporting, facilitating or implementing policies aimed at settlement expansion and annexation.
The joint statement comes amid growing international concern over Israel's settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories and their potential impact on efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state.
The ministers said international action was needed to prevent further settlement expansion and protect the prospects for a negotiated political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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