Cairo: The foreign ministers of eight Arab-Islamic nations have issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s continued settlement policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, specifically rejecting the “E1” settlement plan and related activities east of occupied East Jerusalem. The ministers emphasized that these actions violate international law and United Nations resolutions, posing a threat to regional and international peace and security.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers from Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates warned that the “E1” settlement plan marks a dangerous escalation in settlement expansion and annexation. They argued that this undermines the geographical continuity between the West Bank and East Jerusalem, threatening the viability of a future independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The statement reaffirmed the commitment to a two-state solution as the only viable path to achieving lasting peace. It also called for accountability through international measures against those responsible for illegal settlement activities. The ministers urged the international community, including the United Nations Security Council, to take effective measures to halt the settlement expansion and protect the rights of the Palestinian people.