'Israel's threat to annex occupied West Bank must stop': UAE diplomat

A senior United Arab Emirates diplomat on Monday slammed Israeli plans to annex Palestinian lands of West Bank saying any such unilateral move by Israel would be a serious setback for the Middle East peace process. His comment comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said cabinet discussions would begin on July 1 on his election pledge to extend Israeli sovereignty to the territory Palestinians want for their own state in the contentious West Bank.

On Twitter, UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash warned that such Israeli motives would undermine Palestine's right to self-determination and constitute a rejection of international and Arab consensus towards peace and stability in the restive region.

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Annexation plan

Israel's Netanyahu had on May 25 reportedly said that he will not miss a ‘historic opportunity’ to extend the country’s sovereignty to parts of the West Bank. While calling the move one of his government’s top tasks, Netanyahu is all set to put Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank under Israeli sovereignty. As per reports, the Israeli PM has set July 1 as a starting date for cabinet discussions on the issue. 

The Palestinians, on the other hand, consider such a step as ‘illegal annexation’ of occupied land they seek for a future state. According to an international media outlet, they even declared an end to security cooperation with Israel and its ally, the United States, in protest at the territorial plan. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also called the matter complex. He reportedly had said that the matter required coordination with Washington. 

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UAE's mindful choices

The UAE and fellow Gulf states largely voiced support for a so-called "Middle East plan" proposed by US President Donald Trump in January that proposed a demilitarised Palestinian state with borders drawn to meet Israeli security needs, and US recognition of Israeli settlements — illegal under international law — on occupied West Bank land. The Palestinians, who were kept out during the drafting of the plan, have rejected it.

Reports suggest the UAE and other Gulf states wish to enhance ties with Israel, a key US ally, in their larger plan to counter Iran. Although, Abu Dhabi is mindful of the fact that they risk alienating Palestinians and the larger Arab population sympathetic to their cause should they cozy up too much to Tel Aviv.

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