Eight Muslim-majority countries, including the United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday welcomed Britain's decision to impose sanctions on Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and urged other nations to follow suit. The UAE is a signatory to the Abraham Accords with Israel.

Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE issued a joint statement expressing “the hope that this decision will help mobilize the international community to take similar actions in line with international law and hold accountable settlement organizations and individuals engaged in illegal settlement activities."

The foreign ministers also called for the “full and immediate implementation" of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza's postwar future. They further backed the creation of an independent Palestinian state with its capital in eastern Jerusalem.

The statement came one day after British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced new measures targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Miliband said London was adopting a “new approach" that would “not only call out injustice and suffering, but act."

He added, “For a long time, the British government has said such settlements are illegal," and declared, “Today I announce the official view of the British government is that the occupation is unlawful."

Britain said it would prohibit the import of goods produced in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. France and Canada joined the announcement and said they would also “bring forward national measures to ban trade in settlement goods."

Israel responded with a series of countermeasures unveiled by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Jerusalem said it would close the British Consulate in Jerusalem, remove British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat and terminate British training for Palestinian Authority forces in Judea and Samaria through the “British Support Team in Ramallah."

Israel also announced that 12 British elected officials and other British nationals would be barred from entering the country because of what Jerusalem described as antisemitic and anti-Israel activity or denial of Israel's existence.

Britain's Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, condemned London's decision, calling it a "truly dark day" and warning that the measures would ultimately strengthen the extremism they are intended to oppose.

Miliband rejected Rabbi Mirvism's criticism, saying that as a "proud British Jew," he disagreed with the Chief Rabbi.

"We all need to do more to tackle antisemitism," Miliband said, while maintaining that Britain can fight antisemitism while also standing up for British values.