On Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Indonesia and Pakistan welcomed the British government’s decision to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and impose restrictions on related services, saying the measures are consistent with international law and support accountability for those involved in settlement activities.
In a joint statement, the ministers expressed hope that the British decision would prompt the international community to adopt similar measures, including holding settlement organisations and individuals involved in supporting or expanding settlements accountable, and taking practical steps to halt economic and commercial activities that support the continuation of settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories.
British measures against settlement trade
The eight countries’ position came after British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced on Tuesday that his country would ban imports from settlements that London describes as illegal in the occupied West Bank.
Britain also announced sanctions on companies and individuals providing services linked to settlement expansion, including in construction, infrastructure, finance and real estate, as well as targeting settlers accused of inciting or supporting violence against Palestinians.
Miliband said his government would in future reject applications for export licences for weapons and products that could significantly contribute to supporting the occupation, after suspending more than 30 licences to export weapons linked to Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Call for similar international action
The eight countries’ statement welcomed a joint position issued by the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom on the two-state solution. These countries announced their intention to impose national restrictions on settlement-related trade, support European measures targeting it, or consider similar steps under their national laws.
The moves coincided with an announcement by 12 countries, including Britain, France and Canada, that they intended to impose national restrictions on settlement-related trade or support similar European measures, warning that Israeli policies in the West Bank are undermining prospects for a two-state solution.
The eight countries’ ministers linked their call to United Nations resolutions, foremost among them Security Council Resolution 2334, issued in 2016, and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on July 19, 2024. They also called on Israel to repeal measures related to settlements and halt policies aimed at changing the geographic and demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territory.
The ministers stressed their countries’ commitment not to recognise any legal status arising from the Israeli occupation and not to provide support that contributes to its continuation.
Gaza and the two-state solution
The statement affirmed that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the occupied Palestinian territory and called for the immediate and full implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict in the Strip, address the humanitarian crisis and support reconstruction and recovery.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
