Israel: Thousands protest against Netanyahu's plan to extend sovereignty over West Bank

While the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set July 1 as the date to begin advancing his plan to extend sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, thousands of people reportedly demonstrated against him. According to an international media report, the protesters wore face masks and kept their distance from each other under coronavirus restrictions. They gathered under the banner ‘No annexation, no to the occupation, yes to peace and democracy’, while some even waved Palestinian flags. 

As per reports, the demonstrations were organised by leftwing groups and did not appear to be the start of a popular mass movement as around half of Israelis support annexation. The organisers of the protests also reportedly screened a video address by US Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, in which he urged people to stand up to authoritarian leaders. 

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Sander reportedly said that it is never been more important to stand up for justice and to fight for the future the country deserves. He added that it is up to the country to stand up to authoritarian leaders and to build a peaceful future for every Palestinian and every Israeli. 

‘Illegal annexation’ 

The Palestinians consider the West Bank annexation as ‘illegal annexation’ of occupied land they seek for a future state. Last month, they even declared an end to security cooperation with Israel and its ally, the United States, in protest at the territorial plan. The Palestinians reportedly want an independent state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, the territories Israel captured in a 1967 Middle East war. 

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However, US President Donald Trump unveiled a Middle-East peace plan that includes Israel keeping its settlements and the Palestinians establishing a state under stringent conditions. While Netanyahu cited Trump’s Middle-east Plan for Israel-Palestinian Peace as underpinning de facto annexation, both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have rejected the plan. 

Earlier, The Palestinians were reportedly offered limited self-rule in Gaza, parts of the West Bank, and some sparsely populated areas of Israel in return for meeting a long list of conditions. Hamas has vowed that ‘all options are open’ in its response to the proposal, but is not believed to be seeking war with Israel. Meanwhile, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the Israeli-Palestinian peace truce in January and called it 'completely unacceptable'. 

(Image: @GuidoFawkes/Twitter)

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