Israel / Palestine

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.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is “confident” Israel will be able to annex parts of the West Bank within a few months with backing from the Trump administration. … U.N. and European Union officials have warned against Israeli annexation of the West Bank, calling it illegal and a move that would set off a powder keg across the Middle East.

After three deadlocked elections between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Benny Gantz, the two men agreed late Monday to establish a unity government.

Israel's president Thursday asked the Knesset to choose a new prime minister, giving parliament three weeks to agree upon a leader or plunge the country into an unprecedented fourth consecutive election in just over a year.

It is no longer enough to reaffirm past agreements on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a senior UN envoy, who said on Monday that it is time to “find our way back to a mutually agreed mediation framework” to resume meaningful negotiations towards a two-State solution.

There has been a flare-up in violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories, days after US President Donald Trump unveiled his peace plan.