Arab foreign ministers to discuss Israeli ‘annexation’ plan

At the request of the Palestinians, Arab foreign ministers are expected to hold an extraordinary meeting via videoconferencing on Thursday to discuss “the dangers” of Israel’s intention to apply sovereignty to parts of the West Bank.The ministers also will discuss a recent ruling by the Jerusalem District Court, according to which the Palestinian Authority must pay NIS 500 million to Israeli families of Palestinian terrorism victims.PA officials have strongly condemned the court ruling, dubbing it “piracy and theft of Palestinian money.”Thursday’s meeting “will discuss ways of providing political, legal and financial support for the Palestinian leadership so that it can confront the Israeli plan,” said Hossam Zaki, assistant secretary-general of the League of Arab States. The meeting also will discuss ways of helping the Palestinians confront the coronavirus pandemic, he said.Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit has been in contact with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other world leaders concerning the Israeli government’s plan to “annex” parts of the West Bank, Zaki said.Guterres informed Gheit that he was opposed to the “annexation” of any part of the West Bank, saying it would be a grave violation of international law,” he added. The UN secretary-general also warned that a “unilateral move by Israel will close the door to negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel and eliminate the prospects of a two-state solution,” Zaki said.The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “does not miss any opportunity to confirm his disregard for the international community and the UN and his rebellion against international legitimacy.” It also accused Netanyahu of being opposed to the two-state solution and the principle of land for peace.“Netanyahu is exploiting the world’s preoccupation with the coronavirus pandemic to continue implementing his promises and plans to impose Israeli law on the occupied West Bank,” the ministry said. “These measures are an extension of the war waged on our people and aim to prevent the establishment of a viable Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat on Monday said he had discussed the Israeli “annexation” plan and financial aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde. Erekat has contacted officials in several countries over the past two weeks in an effort to gain worldwide support for Palestinian rejection of the plan to apply Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea.PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi expressed satisfaction with the response of some countries to the Palestinian diplomatic blitz.“The Palestinian leadership welcomes important statements made by many states and regional organizations, including the European Union, Russia, China, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Italy and Norway, rejecting Israeli plans for the annexation of Palestinian territory as illegal and unacceptable,” she said in a statement. “These statements reflect a global and principled commitment to the standing and universal application of international law, which strictly prohibits annexation. They also reiterate commitment and support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to freedom, sovereignty and peace.”Ashrawi appealed to the international community to take immediate measures to “confront unilateralism, annexation and land grab and save the prospects and requirements of peace.” The international community should “leverage its collective influence to chart a new and credible multilateral political, legal and financial approach that stops Israel’s toxic actions from condemning the region to perpetual conflict,” she said.