UAE, seven nations urge immediate halt to Israel's E1 settlement plan

Foreign ministers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt have strongly condemned Israel’s continued illegal settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In a joint statement, the ministers rejected Israel’s 'E1' settlement plan east of occupied East Jerusalem, warning that it could further expand settlements and undermine the territorial connection between the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

They said the plan threatens the prospects of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and risks further destabilising the region.

The ministers also condemned violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property, calling for accountability and international measures and sanctions against those involved in illegal settlement activities.

They urged the immediate halt of the E1 plan and all settlement expansion, and called on the United Nations and the international community to take urgent action to protect Palestinians and support their right to self-determination.

The ministers reaffirmed that a two-state solution remains the only viable path to a just and lasting peace in the region.

Joint Statement by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Egypthttps://t.co/CN9NZYVYkJ https://t.co/xvbnq37zuJ

— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) August 21, 2026