RAMALLAH, Thursday, April 30, 2020 (WAFA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Riyad al-Malki, said today that the Israeli plan to annex the occupied West Bank must not take place, saying the Arab countries have the potential and relationships that can thwart this plan.
"If the annexation plan is implemented, the possibility of an independent, sovereign, viable and geographically contiguous Palestinian state will be undermined," al-Malki said.
He made the remarks during an extraordinary Arab League emergency session at the level of Arab foreign ministers that was held through video conference to discuss Israel‘s plan to annex parts of the West Bank.
"The Israeli move, if completed, would end the vision of the two-state solution, and would put the al-Aqsa Mosque under Israeli control, before it is fully demolished to construct the alleged temple," said the Foreign Minister.
He added that this step, if taken, will turn the conflict from a political to an endless religious conflict, stressing that the Palestinian people will not accept anything less than a state on the lands occupied in 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.
"If this step is taken, our region will never enjoy stability, security and peace. Our duty is to prevent it," the minister said.
Al-Malki noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took advantage of the fact that the world was preoccupied with the coronavirus pandemic to pass his decisions to annex large parts of the occupied Palestinian territory to Israel, and to impose Israeli sovereignty and law on these territories as well as on the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
"As the so-called American-Israeli joint committee to demarcate the borders of the proposed annexation areas, the risks of annexation increased, especially after the annexation article was included in the agreement of the new government coalition in Israel," the minister added.
Minister al-Malki said that the 1st of July was set as a deadline for submitting the annexation project by Netanyahu to the Israeli government for approval and then for passing it to the Knesset - the Israeli parliament - for endorsement.
"The statement of the US Secretary of State confirmed Netanyahu‘s annexation actions by saying that the annexation was ultimately Israel‘s decision," the foreign minister said. "A spokesperson of the US State Department later indicated the willingness of the Trump administration to recognize the Israeli annexation measures."
He stressed that there is not much time left, expressing hope the international community will move and pressure the occupying power and prevent it from taking the annexation step.
Al-Malki reaffirmed that the political negotiations emerging from an international peace conference with approved international references is the Palestinian choice to end the conflict.
He expressed hope that the International Quartet would seize this opportunity to provide the appropriate climate for the return of direct negotiations under international supervision to reach a comprehensive and just peace. He said this should be based on the international law and international legitimacy decisions on the basis of a two-state solution that will lead to an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the territories occupied in 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Al-Malki said that the coronavirus pandemic has shown the difficult financial situation in Palestine, due to the restrictions put in place by the Israeli occupation.
"This should lead the Arab countries to fulfill their obligations towards the budget of the State of Palestine and activate the Arab financial safety net," the minister said.
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