Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait Welcome UK Ban on Israeli Settlement Goods
Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait have welcomed the British government's decision to ban trade in goods and some services linked to illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories. Cairo stated the move reflects a commitment to international law and UN resolutions, helps counter settlement activities, and opposes attempts to create new realities on the ground, particularly in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Egypt reiterated that continued Israeli settlement expansion obstructs Palestinian territorial unity and undermines the prospects for a viable, independent Palestinian state, emphasizing its stance that a just and lasting peace requires ending Israeli control and establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Egypt also expressed support for a joint statement by 12 foreign ministers regarding the protection of the two-state solution. This statement calls for national and European measures to restrict trade with illegal Israeli settlements, demands an immediate halt to settlement expansion, and seeks accountability for settlers involved in violence. Cairo praised the growing international efforts to translate opposition to settlements into concrete actions and urged other nations to adopt similar steps to increase pressure for a halt to settlement expansion and preserve peace opportunities.
Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates echoed this sentiment, stating the British decision aligns with international law and UN resolutions. Amman affirmed that the ban on products from West Bank settlements and services that finance or facilitate settlement expansion combats illegal Israeli actions and settler practices that undermine the two-state solution and hinder peace efforts. Jordan stressed the international community's need to take practical measures to stop settlement activity and compel Israel to respect international law, thereby preserving the possibility of an independent Palestinian state.
Kuwait welcomed the announcement by Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom to implement national measures or support European restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements. The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry noted this comes amid increasing international momentum, bolstered by several countries recognizing a Palestinian state, which supports efforts to realize it on the ground. Kuwait called for further actions against settlement policies violating international law, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2334, and reiterated its rejection of annexation attempts and the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. Kuwait reaffirmed its support for inalienable Palestinian rights, including an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
