Lebanon, Jordan warn Israeli annexation threatens peace efforts
AMMAN Lebanon and Jordan warned on Thursday that Israel’s plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank threatens efforts to reach a peaceful solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the foreign ministers said.
The annexation “is a very dangerous issue,” Lebanese Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti said after a meeting with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al-Safadi in Amman.
Hitti said the plan is an attempt by Israel put an end to efforts towards a peaceful settlement.
Lebanon’s stance is “based on international decisions and the Arab peace initiative,” Hitti added.
“We have presented our vision of a comprehensive, just, lasting and brave peace and there is Arab, regional and international interest to achieve that.”
The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative called for establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Al-Safadi said the annexation is a “blatant violation of international law” that undermines attempts to achieve peace and a two-state solution based on the lines of June 4, 1967.
“Our work continues to focus on preventing annexation and find a real horizon to re-launch serious and effective negotiations,” al-Safadi said.
Jordan has been working on mobilizing international support to halt Israel’s annexation plans, which would give Israel sovereignty over some 30 percent of the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
Amman signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994.