Germany, Palestinian Authority Release Joint Statement Against Israeli Annexation Plan

UPDATE: Palestinian President Abbas declares end to agreements with Israel, U.S.

Germany and the Palestinian Authority released a joint statement on Tuesday expressing "grave concern" over Israel's declared intention to begin annexing parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley.

Annexing parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's "deal of the century" was a central promise of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's latest election campaign. Former political rivals turned allies Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi have also expressed their support for the administration's plan.

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The statement, which follows similar warnings from other European countries and the European Union, was released after a virtual meeting chaired by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas took place.

The statement observes that the two sides "noted with grave concern the agreement between coalition parties in Israel to advance plans for annexation of occupied Palestinian territories as stipulated in the Israeli coalition agreement signed on 20 April," referring to the deal signed between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s Kahol Lavan

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– MFA Borrell

4/4 This “megaphone diplomacy” is not a substitute for intimate diplomatic dialogue and will not advance the role the EU is seeking to fulfill.

— Lior Haiat 🇮🇱 (@LiorHaiat) May 19, 2020

"Annexation of any part of occupied Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem constitutes a clear violation of international law and seriously undermines the chances for the two-state solution within a final status agreement," the statement read, and that Germany “took note of the Palestinian view that such a step would put an end to all signed agreements.”

Earlier on Tuesday, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said said that unilateral measures by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley will have consequences for its relations with the European Union.