Europeans formally protest West Bank sovereignty plans

Ambassadors to Israel of 11 European countries and the EU registered a demarche with the Foreign Ministry about the possibility of Israel annexing 30% of the West Bank, European sources have confirmed on Thursday. The UK, Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Finland and the EU protested to Foreign Ministry Deputy Director-General for Europe Anna Azari in a video conference, as first reported by Channel 13. The diplomats told Azari on Thursday that they are concerned about the part of the coalition agreement allowing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold a vote in the cabinet or Knesset as early as July 1 on applying Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank. Annexation violates international law, harms chances for peace, and will hurt Israel's international standing, they said. Several of the countries that protested on Thursday had spoken out the week before against annexation in the UN Security Council. France threatened that such a move “would not pass unchallenged and shall not be overlooked in our relationship with Israel.” Germany, Estonia and Belgium, also made statements against annexation at the UNSC, as did the UK. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said that “any annexation would constitute a serious violation of international law.” Several days later, Netanyahu said annexation would happen soon: “[US] President [Donald] Trump pledged to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Jewish communities there and in the Jordan Valley. In a couple of months from now, I'm confident that pledge will be honored, that we will be able to celebrate another historic moment in the history of Zionism.” The Trump peace plan would allow Israel to annex 30% of the West Bank, including all settlements and the entire Jordan Valley, while providing the Palestinians with a massive economic-aid package to support their establishing a demilitarized state, if they meet certain conditions, including stopping incitement, payments to terrorists and instituting civil rights.

Europeans formally protest West Bank sovereignty plans

Annexation violates international law, harms chances for peace, and will hurt Israel’s international standing, they said.

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