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UAE, 7 countries condemn Israel’s ‘E1’ settlement plan in occupied Palestinian territories
The ministers called for accountability, including international measures and sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for illegal settlement activity
- PUBLISHED: Fri 21 Aug 2026, 6:48 PM
- By:
- WAM
The foreign ministers of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt have strongly condemned Israel’s continued settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, rejecting the 'E1' settlement plan and related activities east of occupied East Jerusalem.
They also condemned violence and violations against Palestinians and their property, saying such acts, which they said were carried out with the support of Israeli authorities, violate international law and relevant UN resolutions.
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They stressed that such acts do not undermine the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights and warned that they pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security.
They described the “E1” plan as a dangerous escalation that would further expand settlements and advance annexation, while undermining territorial continuity between the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
They said this threatens the prospects of an independent and contiguous Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The ministers also said the plan challenges international peace efforts, including US President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan, which rejects annexation and forced displacement. They also cited Trump’s commitment to preventing the annexation of the West Bank.
They reaffirmed that a two-state solution, based on international law and relevant UN resolutions, remains the only viable path to a just and lasting peace.
The ministers called for accountability, including international measures and sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for illegal settlement activity, as well as those supporting or facilitating settlement expansion and annexation.
They also called for an end to support or financing that contributes to the establishment or expansion of settlements, warning that the lack of accountability allows such violations to continue and undermines prospects for peace.
The ministers called for the immediate halt of the “E1” settlement plan and the reversal of measures related to it, as well as an end to settlement activity and other measures aimed at changing the geographic and demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territories.
They further urged the UN Security Council, states and other international actors to uphold their responsibilities under international law, take urgent action to halt settlement expansion and protect Palestinians’ rights, including their right to self-determination and to an independent state.