ISLAMABAD, Sep 9 (APP):The Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the United Kingdom to ban imports of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). In a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers also welcomed the UK's decision to introduce restrictions on services linked to such …
Eight-nation FMs welcomes UK ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements
ISLAMABAD, Sep 9 (APP):The Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the United Kingdom to ban imports of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
In a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers also welcomed the UK’s decision to introduce restrictions on services linked to such settlements, expressing hope that the move would encourage the international community to take similar measures in accordance with international law.
They called for accountability of settlement organizations and individuals engaged in illegal settlement activities and urged the international community to build on these steps by adopting concrete measures to end activities supporting or sustaining illegal Israeli settlements in the OPT.
The ministers also welcomed a joint statement on the two-State solution issued by the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
They noted that the countries had confirmed their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements that are illegal under international law, or actively consider such measures in accordance with their respective national procedures.
The eight ministers said the announced measures were in line with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016), as well as the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of July 19, 2024.
They recalled the obligation of all states not to recognize as legal the situation arising from Israel’s unlawful occupation and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the occupation.
In this regard, they reiterated their call for Israel to rescind all measures related to settlement activities and other steps aimed at altering the geographic and demographic character of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The ministers underscored that Gaza was an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and called for the full and immediate implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict.
They said implementation of the plan was essential to ensure security and stability, address the humanitarian situation, facilitate reconstruction and recovery, and lay the foundations for lasting peace.
The ministers reaffirmed that the only viable path to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace was implementation of the two-State solution through the realization of an independent, sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian State.
They said such a state should be based on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
