Saudi king condemns Netanyahu poll pledge
RIYADH — The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, reiterated Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the Israeli prime minister’s pre-election pledge to annex part of the West Bank, in a phone call on Thursday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Battling to win re-election in September 17 polls, Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge on Tuesday to annex the strategic Jordan Valley, which accounts for around a third of the occupied West Bank. He also repeated his intention to annex Israeli settlements in the wider West Bank, but in coordination with US President Donald Trump.
“The King reiterated... Saudi Arabia’s condemnation and categorical rejection of the Israeli prime minister’s declaration on his intention to annex lands from the West Bank,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
Dangerous escalation
The King also said Netanyahu’s pledge marked a “very dangerous escalation against the Palestinian people” and was a “flagrant violation” of UN and international laws, SPA added.
At Saudi Arabia’s request, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation — a 57-member pan Islamic body — said it will hold an emergency foreign ministers’ meeting on Sunday to discuss an “Israeli escalation”.
Russia also condemned Netanyahu’s plan ahead of a meeting, warning it could sharply increase regional tensions.
“We share concerns about such plans from the Israeli leadership, the implementation of which could sharply escalate tensions in the region, undermine hope for establishing a long-awaited peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours,” it said. —