US’ Pompeo green lights Israel’s plan to illegally annex Palestine’s West Bank
Advertisement
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday indicated that Israel had the green light from U.S to annex Palestinian land, despite the concerns of the UN, the European Union (EU) and other allies of Washington in the Middle East.
“Decisions about Israelis extending sovereignty to those places are decisions for the Israelis to make,” Pompeo said.
He also said that the Donald Trump administration is “talking to all of the countries in the region about how it is we can manage this process for our end-state objective”.
Pompeo’s remarks came moments after the United Nations and the Arab League, during a U.N. Security Council session, joined in calling for Israel to abandon its plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
Arab states, notably US ally Jordan, have voiced alarm at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s indication that he will move ahead as soon as next week to annex much of the occupied West Bank, saying that it would kill prospects for peace.
The possible annexation, which could begin as early as July 1, is contained in the Middle East plan Trump presented in January 2020.
The plan would allow Israel to annex a large part of the Jordan Valley and 235 of the illegal settlements established in the area by Israeli colonists, meaning that some 30 per cent of Palestinian territory in the West Bank would become Israeli territory, a situation that the UN says would be illegal.
At his press conference, Pompeo said that both Netanyahu and Gulf states backed a Middle East plan unveiled in January by President Donald Trump, which gives the blessing to Israel for annexation and allows for a demilitarized Palestinian state.
“I regret only that the Palestinian Authority has refused to participate in that,” Pompeo said adding that “I remain hopeful that in the coming weeks, we can begin to make real progress towards achieving” Trump’s plan.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday indicated that Israel had the green light from U.S to annex Palestinian land, despite the concerns of the UN, the European Union (EU) and other allies of Washington in the Middle East.
“Decisions about Israelis extending sovereignty to those places are decisions for the Israelis to make,” Pompeo said.
He also said that the Donald Trump administration is “talking to all of the countries in the region about how it is we can manage this process for our end-state objective”.
Pompeo’s remarks came moments after the United Nations and the Arab League, during a U.N. Security Council session, joined in calling for Israel to abandon its plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
Arab states, notably US ally Jordan, have voiced alarm at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s indication that he will move ahead as soon as next week to annex much of the occupied West Bank, saying that it would kill prospects for peace.
The possible annexation, which could begin as early as July 1, is contained in the Middle East plan Trump presented in January 2020.
The plan would allow Israel to annex a large part of the Jordan Valley and 235 of the illegal settlements established in the area by Israeli colonists, meaning that some 30 per cent of Palestinian territory in the West Bank would become Israeli territory, a situation that the UN says would be illegal.
At his press conference, Pompeo said that both Netanyahu and Gulf states backed a Middle East plan unveiled in January by President Donald Trump, which gives the blessing to Israel for annexation and allows for a demilitarized Palestinian state.
“I regret only that the Palestinian Authority has refused to participate in that,” Pompeo said adding that “I remain hopeful that in the coming weeks, we can begin to make real progress towards achieving” Trump’s plan.
Advertisement
