UAE, Bahrain condemn Israel’s latest settlement approvals

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, signatories to the Abraham Accords, have condemned Israel’s latest settlement approvals made yesterday, which also drew harsh US criticism.

Israeli government ministers announced yesterday that an Israeli planning body has advanced permits for 3,500 new homes in West Bank settlements near Jerusalem. The US branded the move as illegal. “Settlements continue to be inconsistent with international law,” US State Department Matthew Miller said in response.

Today, the UAE’s and Bahrain’s foreign ministries also issued condemnations.

The UAE says it rejects “all practices in contravention of resolutions on international legitimacy, which threaten further escalation and instability in the region, and impede endeavors to achieve peace and stability.”

It also “stressed the need to support all regional and international efforts to advance the peace process in the Middle East, as well as end illegal practices that threaten the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.”

Bahrain says the approvals were “in violation of international law principles and a threat to the chances of achieving peace and stability in the region.”