Israel / Palestine

An announcement on Israel's planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank was not imminent on Wednesday, the date set by the coalition government to start the widely criticised process, its foreign minister said.

[…] EUBAM Rafah was launched on 25 November 2005 following the Israeli disengagement from Gaza. It is tasked with providing a third party presence at the Rafah Crossing Point between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and contributing to strengthening Palestinian Authority’s border capacities. EUPOL COPPS was established on 1 January 2006. It is tasked with contributing to the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to establish effective and sustainable policing and wider criminal justice arrangements, in cooperation with the other institution building programmes.

The UN Secretary-General has called on Israel to scrap plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, a move that could occur as early as next week. “We are at a watershed moment”, António Guterres told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday. “If implemented, annexation would constitute a most serious violation of international law, grievously harm the prospect of a two-State solution and undercut the possibilities of a renewal of negotiations. I call on the Israeli Government to abandon its annexation plans.”

Nearly 50 independent human rights experts are calling for the international community to oppose Israel’s plan to annex significant parts of the occupied Palestinian West Bank beginning as early as next month.

Germany and its European partners have “serious concerns” over Israel’s plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in Jerusalem. … Israel has signalled it intends to annex West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley, as proposed by US President Donald Trump, with initial steps slated to begin from 1 July, the same day Germany takes the rotating EU presidency.

Palestine will declare statehood over all of the West Bank and Gaza, with Jerusalem as its capital, and push for global recognition if Israel goes ahead with plans to annex land it occupies, the Palestinian prime minister has said.

The UN’s Middle East peace envoy issued a stern warning on Wednesday against any unilateral action – including an Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank – that could undermine diplomatic efforts to get Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas has said he is ending "all agreements" with Israel and the United States in response to Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. Israel would now have to "bear all responsibilities... as an occupying power", Mr Abbas said. Similar warnings in the past have ultimately not been followed through.

In an eagerly awaited decision, Israel’s supreme court ruled Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can form a new government even while under indictment for alleged corruption. The ruling paves the way for the right-wing Netanyahu to form a coalition government with centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz after three inconclusive elections over the past year.