This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
On June 24, 2020, the international community expressed its deep concern over Israel's plans to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory.
During a UN Security Council video conference, several government ministers participated in a last-ditch effort to persuade Israel to abandon its plans before the July 1 deadline.
"I call on the Israeli government to abandon its annexation plans," said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, reiterating the longstanding goal of a two-state solution with an independent, contiguous, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit echoed Guterres' sentiments, stating that annexation "will destroy any prospect for peace in the future."
"The possible move by the Israeli government to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory would constitute, if implemented, a serious threat to regional stability," he added.
UN Coordinator for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov warned that annexation "could irrevocably alter the nature of Israeli-Palestinian relations," risking more than a quarter of a century of international efforts in support of a future viable Palestinian state living in peace, security, and mutual recognition with the State of Israel.
The plan to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the strategic Jordan Valley is part of a broader US blueprint for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, which has been rejected in its entirety by the Palestinians.
