Saudi Arabia, seven countries call for immediate halt to Israel’s E1 settlement plan

Saudi Arabia and seven other nations, comprising Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt, have vehemently denounced Israel's ongoing settlement policies within the occupied Palestinian territory and urged urgent international intervention to suspend the E1 settlement plan east of East Jerusalem.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of these eight countries unequivocally opposed the E1 plan and associated settlement actions. They also reiterated their condemnation of acts of violence perpetrated by settlers, backed by Israeli authorities, against Palestinians and their property.

The ministers emphasized that such practices contravene the Palestinian people's inalienable rights, violate international law, and breach relevant United Nations resolutions. They also warned that the E1 settlement plan signifies a perilous escalation, potentially facilitating settlement expansion and annexation, which would erode the contiguous expanse of occupied Palestinian territory, particularly between the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

They contended that the plan jeopardizes the prospects of an independent and geographically cohesive Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem serving as its capital.

The statement further asserted that these measures directly contravene international endeavors to attain peace, especially US President Donald Trump's comprehensive peace plan, which rejects annexation, forced displacement, and the implemented mechanisms for their execution, such as the Board of Peace. The ministers also cited Trump's pledge not to sanction the annexation of the West Bank as part of efforts to stabilize the region and conclude the conflict.

They reaffirmed that the two-state solution, in line with international law and pertinent UN resolutions, remains the sole feasible route to a just, comprehensive, and enduring peace.

The ministers cautioned that actions undermining the two-state solution would intensify tensions, endanger regional and international peace and security, and diminish the prospects for enduring peace and stability in the area. They expressed solidarity with endeavors to ensure accountability, encompassing suitable international measures and sanctions against entities and individuals accountable for illegal settlement activities, including the E1 plan, as well as those who support, facilitate, or execute settlement expansion and annexation policies.

The ministers also advocated for an end to any backing or financing facilitating the establishment, expansion, or consolidation of illegal settlements, emphasizing that the lack of accountability perpetuates violations and further undermines the prospects for peace.

They called for immediate steps to halt the E1 settlement plan, repeal all actions undertaken under it, and cease settlement activities and other endeavors aimed at altering the geographical and demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territory. The ministers urged the UN Security Council, states, and relevant international actors to fulfill their obligations under international law and take prompt and decisive measures to halt illegal settlement expansion, safeguard the Palestinian people, and uphold their inalienable rights, such as self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions.