Eight Arab and Islamic countries condemn the occupation's settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories
Cairo, Aug 21 (KUNA) -- The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Turkey expressed their unequivocal condemnation of the continued illegal Israeli occupation settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territory, and their complete rejection of the “A1” settlement plan and its associated activities in eastern occupied East Jerusalem.
In a joint statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, the ministers renewed their condemnation of the violations and acts of violence committed by settlers, with the support of the Israeli occupation authorities, against the Palestinian people and their property. The statement stressed that “these practices in no way diminish the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, and constitute violations of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, as well as a serious threat to regional and international security and peace.”
In this regard, it warned that the “A1” settlement plan “represents a serious escalation that will advance settlement expansion and annexation, and undermine the geographical contiguity of the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly between the West Bank and East Jerusalem, thereby threatening the viability of an independent, geographically contiguous, and viable State of Palestine based on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
It noted that these measures constitute a direct challenge to international efforts aimed at achieving peace, foremost among which is the comprehensive peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump, which includes a firm rejection of annexation and forced displacement, as well as the mechanisms envisaged for its implementation, including through a peace council, and President Trump’s firm commitment not to allow the annexation of the West Bank in order to achieve stability and end the conflict.
The foreign ministers renewed their affirmation that the two-state solution, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions, remains the only viable path to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace. They warned that measures aimed at undermining this solution would lead to further escalation of tensions, threaten regional and international security and peace, and undermine prospects for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
In the same context, they affirmed their support for all efforts aimed at ensuring accountability, including through the adoption of appropriate international measures and the imposition of sanctions on entities and individuals responsible for illegal settlement activities, including the “A1” settlement plan, as well as those who support, facilitate, or implement policies of settlement expansion and annexation.
For their part, the ministers called for halting any support or funding that contributes to the establishment, expansion, or entrenchment of illegal settlements, emphasizing that the lack of accountability contributes to the continuation of violations and further undermines prospects for achieving a just and comprehensive peace. They also called for immediate measures to halt the “A1” settlement plan, cancel all measures taken under its framework, and stop all settlement activities and other measures aimed at altering the geographical and demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territory.
In this regard, they called on the Security Council, all states, and relevant international actors to fulfill their responsibilities under international law and to take urgent and effective measures to halt illegal settlement expansion and ensure the protection of the Palestinian people and the preservation of their inalienable rights, including their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions. (End) A.S.M./A.B.K.
