Arab, Muslim nations welcome UK-led sanctions on Israeli settlements

The foreign ministers of eight Arab and Muslim-majority countries released a joint statement on Wednesday welcoming the UK's decision to ban the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The countries - Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt - hailed other Western countries for announcing their intention to restrict trade with Israeli settlements. In a separate statement, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the decision, adding that the measures come amid growing international momentum generated by a number of countries recognising the independent State of Palestine.