UAE Says Israel Should Back Off Threat of Annexation

A senior United Arab Emirates official said on Monday that any unilateral move by Israel to annex parts of Yehudah and Shomron would be a serious setback for the Middle East peace process.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has said Cabinet discussions would begin on July 1 on his plan to extend Israeli sovereignty to territory that Palestinians want for their own state.

“Continued Israeli talk of annexing Palestinian lands must stop,” Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said in a Twitter post.

“Any unilateral Israeli move will be a serious setback for the peace process, undermine Palestinian self determination & constitute a rejection of the international & Arab consensus towards stability & peace.”

U.S.-allied Gulf Arab states including the UAE have recently appeared to be prioritizing close ties with the United States that are vital to countering Iran over traditional unswerving support for the Palestinians.

Gulf states largely voiced support for a peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump in January for creating a Palestinian state, but demilitarized and with borders drawn to meet Israeli security needs, while granting U.S. recognition of Israeli communities in Yehudah and Shomron.