Pakistan welcomes UK ban on imports from Israeli settlements

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and seven other Arab and Muslim countries have welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing the move as consistent with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

The UK introduced the trade restrictions on Israeli settlements along with Canada and France. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the Israeli government had failed to prevent what he described as “ethnic cleansing” carried out by settlers in the West Bank.

Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement welcoming the decision. The countries urged the wider international community to take similar practical steps against activities linked to illegal Israeli settlements.

The foreign ministers said settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory violated international law and undermined efforts to establish a two-state solution.

They called for settlement organisations and individuals involved in illegal activities to be held accountable. They also urged countries to adopt concrete measures against actions that support or sustain Israeli settlements in the occupied territory.

The eight countries welcomed an earlier statement by 12 European countries and Canada in which they expressed concern over Israeli policies in the West Bank and their impact on prospects for a two-state solution.

The countries said the UK-led trade restrictions were compatible with international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which addresses Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

They also referred to the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 advisory opinion, which stated that states should not recognise the legal validity of the situation created by Israel’s unlawful occupation or provide assistance in maintaining it.

The joint statement called on Israel to reverse measures related to settlement expansion and other actions aimed at changing the geographic and demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territory.

The ministers also reaffirmed that Gaza remains an integral part of the Palestinian territory. They called for the full and immediate implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan aimed at ending the Gaza conflict.

They maintained that a lasting peace in the region could only be achieved through a two-state solution. Under their position, this would involve the establishment of an independent, sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.

Separately, Pakistan’s Foreign Office reiterated Islamabad’s support for the Palestinian people and welcomed the UK’s decision.

The Foreign Office said the continued expansion of Israeli settlements was a serious violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions. It stressed that settlement activity was also obstructing efforts to achieve a two-state solution.

Pakistan expressed hope that the latest measures would send a clear message against settlement expansion and encourage further international action.

Islamabad also reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.

Israel responded to the UK’s measures by announcing a series of retaliatory steps. These included plans to close the British consulate in Jerusalem and restrict British involvement in certain activities related to the Gaza ceasefire framework.

Israel also announced restrictions on British training for Palestinian Authority forces and imposed entry bans on 12 British citizens, most of them lawmakers.

Miliband criticised the Israeli response as regrettable and damaging. He also rejected suggestions that the trade measures would affect intelligence and security cooperation between Britain and Israel.