Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has paused plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank after a rare and direct warning from the United Arab Emirates, considered a key player in Israel’s integration in the Middle East.
A senior Emirati official called annexation a “red line” that would “foreclose on the idea of regional integration,” placing the 2020 Abraham Accords in jeopardy, a report in The Washington Post said. West Bank annexation
The warning, conveyed through both public interviews and backchannel diplomacy, prompted Netanyahu to remove annexation from the agenda of a high-level cabinet meeting. West Bank annexation
The development takes place comes amid worsening war catastrophe in Gaza as well as growing international push toward recognizing Palestinian statehood. Several Western nations—including Britain, Canada, and France—have recently indicated they may formally recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly session this month. West Bank annexation
The apparently coordinated move on part of the Western allies has fueled urgency among Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition allies, who are reportedly seen as espousing extreme views and argue that Israel must act quickly to annex parts of the territory before international recognition of Palestine gains momentum. West Bank annexation
Cabinet members like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, continue to push aggressive annexation plans. Smotrich proposed annexing 82% of the West Bank, dismissing Palestinian statehood as a threat. West Bank annexation
“The time has come to remove once and for all from the agenda the idea of dividing our tiny land and establishing a terror state in its center.” West Bank annexation
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indirectly criticized Europe, stating:
“What you’re seeing with the West Bank and the annexation… was wholly predictable,” adding that actions by London and Paris to recognize Palestine were provoking Israel. West Bank annexation
Recently, European countries have also taken action against Israel’s far-right leadership. In June, Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand imposed sanctions on Smotrich and Ben Gvir for inciting extremist violence and abuses of Palestinian human rights. West Bank annexation
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Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
