Riyadh: The Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt have issued a joint statement condemning Israel's continued settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. They expressed strong opposition to the E1 settlement plan and related activities in East Jerusalem, highlighting that these actions violate international law and United Nations resolutions, posing a threat to regional and global peace.

According to Union of OIC News Agencies, the ministers warned that the E1 settlement plan could escalate tensions by expanding settlements and annexation, the territorial continuity of the Palestinian territories, particularly between the West Bank and East Jerusalem. They emphasized that this threatens the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. These actions contradict international efforts to achieve peace, including former President Donald Trump's comprehensive peace plan, which rejected annexation and forced displacement.

The ministers reiterated that a two-state solution, aligned with international law and UN resolutions, remains the only practical path to achieving a just and lasting peace. They cautioned that attempts to undermine this solution would increase tensions and jeopardize regional and international stability.

In their statement, the ministers supported efforts to ensure accountability through international measures and sanctions against those involved in illegal settlement activities, including the E1 plan. They called for an end to support or funding for settlement expansion and stressed that lack of accountability perpetuates violations and undermines peace prospects.

The ministers urged immediate actions to halt the E1 settlement plan and cease all settlement activities that alter the geographic and demographic character of the Palestinian territories. They called on the UN Security Council and international bodies to uphold their responsibilities by taking urgent measures to stop illegal settlement expansion, protect Palestinian rights, and support their self-determination and the establishment of an independent state.