Eight Arab and Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, have welcomed Britain's decision to impose sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told MPs the move reflected a necessary "new approach" in response to Israeli plans for the E1 development, which would cut off the West Bank from East Jerusalem, and said the UK would not stand by while settlement expansion undermined prospects for a two-state solution. The sanctions have caused a diplomatic rift, with Israel accusing Labour of "outrageous lies", closing its Jerusalem consulate and banning a dozen MPs.

The UK measures ban imports of goods from illegal Israeli settlements and restrict related services, and the eight nations' foreign ministers urged other countries to adopt similar action in line with international law. They also endorsed a joint statement issued by Britain, France, Canada and several other European states condemning "unprecedented" settler violence and settlement expansion, including the E1 tenders, and calling on Israel to halt expansion and ensure accountability. Both groups reaffirmed commitment to a two-state solution and called for implementation of Donald Trump's plan to end the Gaza conflict, while the European statement also stressed a determination to tackle antisemitism.