Arab League: Israeli annexation could ignite a religious war

he of Arab League warned a high-level U.N. meeting Wednesday that Israel’s annexation of parts of West Bank would endanger Middle East peace and could ignite “a religious war in and beyond our region.”

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of 22-member organization, said annexation “would t only be detrimental to chances of peace today but will destroy any prospects for peace in future.”

He told Security Council it will have “broer ramifications on international security around world.”

council meeting came days ahe of July 1 date that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition deal allows an annexation plan to be presented.

Israel captured West Bank from Jordan in 1967 Mideast war and has built dozens of settlements that are w home to nearly 500,000 Israelis, but it never formally claimed it as an Israeli territory due to stiff international opposition.

Palestinians, with wide international backing, seek territory as heartland of ir future independent state. Most of international community considers Israel’s West Bank settlements illegal under international law.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened meeting with a call on Israel to abandon its annexation plans, an appeal echoed by almost all or speakers.

U.N. chief said annexation “would constitute a most serious violation of international law, grievously harm prospect of a two-state solution and undercut possibilities of a renewal of negotiations.” And he said it would “furr hamper efforts to vance regional peace and to maintain international peace and security.”

Guterres urged United States, European Union and Russia to swiftly take up ir mediation role along with United Nations as part of so-called Quartet “and find a mutually agreeable framework for parties to re-eng, without preconditions, with us and or key states.”

He also urged Israeli and Palestinian leers “to commit to meaningful dialogue, with support of international community.” And he encourd regional and international supporters of a two-state solution to help bring parties back to a “path towards a negotiated, peaceful settlement.”

U.S. is Israel’s closest ally and President Donald Trump’s ministration has taken a much softer line toward Israeli settlements than its predecessors.

Trump’s Mideast plan, unveiled in January, envisions leaving some 30% of West Bank territory under permanent Israeli control while giving Palestinians expanded automy in rest of area. Palestinians have rejected plan, saying it is unfairly biased toward Israel.

With Trump’s re-election prospects uncertain this vember, Israeli hard-liners have urged prime minister Netanyahu to move ahe with annexation quickly.

U.S. Ambassor Kelly Craft said many council members “have concerns with this issue of potential extension of Israeli sovereignty in West Bank.”

“At same time, we ask that you also hold Palestinian leership accountable for acts y are responsible for,” she said. “It does t help anyone to only look backwards and point to what could have been. Palestinian leership has a responsibility to pursue prosperity of ir people.”

Craft urged Palestinian leers to look closely at Trump’s plan “and eng us,” stressing that “it is an opening offer.”

“ United States, under leership of President Trump, is dressing this core issue by offering beginning of a conversation. And I reiterate, beginning of a conversation,” U.S. ambassor said. “We remain open to speaking with anyone about how to bring parties to table, and we both urge and welcome any and all engment.”