Hamas warns against Israeli plan of West Bank annexation, calls it 'declaration of war'

Palestinian fundamentalist militant organisation Hamas, which controls the Gaza strip, warned Israel that West Bank annexation plan would be a “declaration of war”. Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the Hamas military wing Al-Qassam Brigades, said that the organisation considers West Bank as a declaration of war against Palestinian people and they will make the enemy “regret that decision”

"We will not talk much and we will say a few clear words that the occupation power must understand that the armed Palestinian resistance considers the annexation decision a declaration of war on our people," said Obeida in a video shared on social media.

In January, Trump unveiled the Middle East peace plan to resolve Israel-Palestine conflict, but it was rejected by Palestinian leaders in its entirety. As per the proposed peace plan, the sovereignty of Israel over important settlement blocs in the West Bank will be acknowledged and the State of Palestine be created with its capital in east Jerusalem.

Read: US Officials To Meet This Week To Discuss Israel's West Bank Annexation Plan

Opposition to plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set the target date as July 1 after a push from Trump and sealing a power-sharing deal with former rival Benny Gantz of Blue and White Party. Over 1,000 parliamentarians from across Europe have also written a letter opposing Israel’s West Bank annexation plan as the target date announced by Netanyahu approaches.

The letter, which has been published in several European newspapers, raises serious concerns about Middle East peace plan and the imminent prospect of Israeli annexation of West Bank territory. The European parliamentarians said that they are deeply worried about the precedent this would set for international relations at large.

“Such a move will be fatal to the prospects of Israeli- Palestinian peace and will challenge the most basic norms guiding international relations, including the UN Charter,” the letter read.

UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for abandoning the annexation plans, calling it “most serious violation” of the international law. He said that such a plan will “grievously harm” the entire prospect of the two-State solution and will end the possibility of resumption of negotiations.

Read: Israel To Appoint Former Ambassador To India As Director General Of Foreign Ministry