Jordan, Egypt, Germany and France warn against annexation
Any changes to Israel’s eastern border would impact relations between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, France and Germany, the countries’ foreign ministers said on Tuesday.
Jordan
Israel War Planes Struck Targets In Gaza Strip Ahead Of “Annexation”
Tensions remained high Sunday after two Israeli warplanes struck targets in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said it was a response to two rockets fired at Israeli territory from the coastal enclave, Worthy News learned.
Israel and United Arab Emirates to cooperate on COVID-19
Israel and the United Arab Emirates are set to join forces in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jerusalem Post reports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the partnership in a statement on Thursday, saying the decision to cooperate had come after months of intense negotiation.
Netanyahu’s new idea: Sovereignty in 2 stages
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told various officials over the past few days that he is considering a two-stage plan to implement Israel’s declaration of sovereignty in the Jordan Valley parts of Judea and Samaria.
Boris Johnson: Israel’s planned annexation breaches international law
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday that Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank would “amount to a breach of international law.”
US May Approve Unilateral Israeli Annexation of a Few Settlement Blocs in West Bank
Given Palestinian rejection of the Trump peace plan, the US may support Israel in the unilateral annexation of a few settlement blocs in the West Bank, World Israel News (WIN) reported Thursday. Under the Israeli coalition government agreement, Prime Minister Netanyahu can ask the Knesset to vote on annexation proposals starting July 1. However, the agreement stipulates that any such proposal must have US backing.
Palestinian Authority Submits Counter-Plan for Demilitarized Statehood Along 1967 Borders
Having rejected outright the Trump Peace Plan presented in January, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has now sent a counter-proposal for statehood to the diplomatic Quartet (UN, US, Russia and EU) that is mediating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Times of Israel reports.
Palestinians To Declare State If Israel Annexes West Bank Part
The Palestinian prime minister says his government will declare a new Palestinian state, perhaps as early as next month, if Israel goes ahead with plans to annex parts of the West Bank.
Palestinian official warns Abbas willing ‘to let PA collapse’ to foil Israel’s sovereignty bid
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans to run his administration to the ground to prevent Israeli from pursuing its plan to apply sovereignty to large parts of Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley, a senior Palestinian official told The New York Times on Monday.
Netanyahu vows all settlements will be annexed July 1, but other lands may wait
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told settler leaders on Sunday that he still intends to annex all West Bank settlements on the July 1 date that is the earliest allowed by his coalition deals, but he acknowledged that annexing other lands allocated to Israel under the Trump peace plan will likely take more time, several participants in the meeting told The Times of Israel.
Israel, Saudi Arabia in secret talks to curb Turkish presence on Temple Mount
Israel and Saudi Arabia have been reportedly engaged in secret talks since last December, through American mediation, over including Saudi representatives in the Islamic Waqf Council at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This development has been taking place against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s deal of the century, and the plan to apply Israeli sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and the large settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria.
Palestinians Warn Israel Of “Serious Consequences” Over West Bank Annexation
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) warned Israel on Wednesday of “serious consequences,” if the Jewish state continues its attempts to annex parts of the West Bank and Jordan Valley. “There would be consequences for this measure on the economic and political Palestinian-Israeli relationship,” said PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat.
Netanyahu: Target date for applying sovereignty is July 1
A day after his trial began in the Jerusalem District Court, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a message to the press at a faction meeting of his Likud party.
Russia, UN and Vatican condemn unilateral Israeli annexation plan
International opposition to Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank continued to gain momentum Wednesday as representatives of the UN, Russia, and the Vatican all expressed strong objections to the plan that could be implemented as early as July.
EU Will Not Recognize Unilateral Israeli Annexation of Parts of West Bank
The European Union’s head of foreign policy stated Monday that the bloc would not recognize any annexation changes Israel made to “1967 borders” unless these had been agreed by the Palestinians, the Times of Israel reports. In his statement, Josep Borrell added: “We strongly urge Israel to refrain from any unilateral decision that would lead to the annexation of any occupied Palestinian territory and would be, as such, contrary to international law.”
Germany apologizes after Israel was omitted from a military map of the Middle East
The head of Germany’s Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) has apologized “expressly” for the omission of Israel from a map of the Middle East in his department’s 2019 annual report, the Middle East Monitor reports. A MAD investigation concluded on May 7 that there had been a mistake caused by “lack of diligence and insufficient quality control rather than deliberate action or political intent.”
US promise of Israeli sovereignty in Judea, Samaria enrages Palestinians
Comments by U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman on Wednesday to Israel Hayom sparked mixed reactions even among Israel’s Right. Not surprisingly, Palestinian leaders were furious.
Arab League: Israeli annexation of West Bank would be a ‘new war crime’
The Arab League said Thursday that Israel’s controversial proposal to annex part of the West Bank constituted a ‘new war crime’ against the Palestinians, during a virtual conference chaired in Cairo.
Netanyahu confident Trump will okay West Bank annexation in ‘couple of months’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he was ‘confident’ US President Donald Trump would let him fulfill his election promise to apply Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank “a couple of months from now.”
Pastor in India, driven from his home, beaten and choked for filing police report
A pastor in India whose family’s house was demolished a month ago was assaulted on his way home from grocery shopping by the same people who forced him to flee his village.