UN warns of Israeli annexation of West Bank areas

The UN special coordinator for the Middle East, Nickolay Mladenov, warned Thursday against an annexation by Israel of areas in the West Bank, which would represent a " devastating blow to the two-state solution" advocated by the international community.

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During a videoconference of the Security Council, which holds a meeting every month on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the UN official noted that the Covid-19 pandemic had resulted in "examples of inspiring cooperation, beyond the front lines, in the common battle against the virus. ” "But the confrontation and the fighting continue with a human toll of the war which continues to grow," he deplored.

"The dangerous prospect of Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank is a growing threat. If implemented, it would be a serious violation of international law, would be a devastating blow to the two-state solution, close the door to renewed negotiations and threaten efforts to advance regional peace , ” said Nickolay Mladenov. "I strongly urge the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to take steps towards peace, to reject unilateral movements which will only widen the gap between the two peoples and undermine the chances of peace," he added.

On Wednesday, US Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo left it to the Hebrew state to decide "as a last resort" whether or not to annex whole swathes of the West Bank occupied by Israel. The annexation of the Israeli settlements and the Jordan Valley was proposed in a Donald Trump peace plan, rejected by the Palestinians. Israel agreed Monday to have a unity government that provides for Israel's "sovereignty" in "settlements in Judea and Samaria" , a term used to refer to the annexation of settlements and regions in the West Bank, the occupied Palestinian territory since 1967 by the Hebrew state.