UN chief calls on Israel to abandon West Bank annexation
European lawmakers protest annexation plan
UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres urged Israel to drop plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, saying it would be a “most serious violation of international law,” in a report made public Tuesday.
The report to the Security Council came ahead of its twiceyearly meeting on the Israelipalestinian conflict, set for Wednesday, AFP reported.
In the document, Guterres said an Israeli annexation would be “devastating” for hopes of fresh negotiations and an eventual two-state solution.
It is part of a growing international outcry against the Trump administration’s Mideast plan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promise to begin annexing parts of the West Bank that have Israeli settlements, perhaps as early as July 1.
“I call upon Israel to abandon its annexation plans,” the UN chief said in the report, adding that such a move would “threaten efforts to advance regional peace.”
“If implemented, this would constitute a most serious violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations.”
Guterres noted the opposition to annexation, including within Israeli society.
“This would be calamitous for Palestinians, Israelis and the region,” he said.
Lawmakers’ letter
Also more than a thousand European lawmakers have signed a joint letter protesting
Israel’s planned annexation of parts of the West Bank.
The letter, which says such a move would “be fatal” to hopes for a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-palestinian conflict, was addressed to European governments and published online Tuesday, AP reported.
The letter by 1,080 parliamentarians from 25 European countries called for decisive action by European leaders to “prevent annexation and to safeguard the prospects of the two-state solution and a just resolution to the conflict.”
“Failure to adequately respond would encourage other states with territorial claims to disregard basic principles of international law,” the letter said.
If Israel goes ahead, the letter calls for “commensurate consequences.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to comment.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war and in the decades since has built dozens of settlements that are now home to roughly 400,000 Israelis. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal. The Palestinians seek the territory as part of a future independent state.
Trump’s Mideast plan, which heavily favors Israel and which has been rejected by the Palestinians, would scuttle any hopes of a viable Palestinian state.
Israel has yet to publish details of the proposed annexation but the prime minister has called for roughly 30% of the territory – including the strategically important Jordan Valley – to be annexed by Israel.
Last week British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he strongly opposed annexation of parts of the West Bank, which would “amount to a breach of international law.”
Anti-plan protests
On Monday, thousands of Palestinians demonstrated against the Trump’s plan that includes also Israel’s annexation scheme.
The protest in Jericho, in the south of the Jordan Valley, came in response to a call by Fatah, the party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, AFP reporters said.
It was the largest rally of its kind since Trump in January unveiled his controversial plan.
Also on Tuesday evening, about 2,500 people gathered in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square to protest the planned annexation, jpost.com reported.
Yair (Yaya) Fink, chairman of the moderate Darkenu movement which organized the event, said that “whether we want it or not, the Palestinians are there, and we are here – and any onesided annexation would demolish that.”