Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE jointly condemn Israel's wartime death penalty law

Eight Muslim-majority nations issued a joint condemnation on April 2, 2026 (D34) of Israel's new death penalty law. The statement was released by Pakistan. Signatory nations: Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. The statement 'strongly condemned' Israel's move to pass legislation making death by hanging a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in Israeli military courts of deadly attacks against Israelis. The group also emphasized the 'urgent need to refrain from measures that risk further inflaming tensions on the ground.' Diplomatic significance: - The inclusion of Saudi Arabia and UAE — Gulf states with warming or covert ties to Israel pre-war — in a joint condemnation reflects wartime realignment - Qatar hosts US Central Command and has been a key regional intermediary - Pakistan is currently hosting back-channel Iran-US diplomatic contacts - The joint statement from 8 countries, not a UN resolution, represents a focused coalition message during the most intense phase of the war Source: Times of Israel April 2 live blog (Pakistan joint statement, April 2, 2026).