UN takes lead against Israel’s annexation plan

Jun 24, 2020

Israeli envoy to the United Nations Danny Danon slammed the international community today for supporting the Palestinian campaign against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s annexation plan and against the American peace plan.

Addressing the UN Security Council, Danon said, “Some in the international community choose to reward the Palestinians’ rejectionism and ignore reality. Instead of confronting the Palestinian leadership, they have tried to appease them by buying every rotten bill of goods the Palestinians were selling. This approach of blindly accepting the Palestinian narrative and demands has not and will not lead to a lasting and sustainable end to the conflict.’’ The ambassador accused the international community of supporting a “false narrative” touted by the Palestinians.

The Security Council holds every six months a meeting dedicated to the situation in the Middle East. Today’s meeting focused entirely on Israel’s annexation plan, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opening the session. Also attending were Danon, Palestinian foreign affairs chief Riyad al-Maliki and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Foreign ministers from China, Indonesia, South Africa and Tunisia represented their countries in the discussion, as did UK Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly.

Calling upon the Israeli government to abandon its annexation plan, Guterres said, “I address you today with a deep sense of concern over the evolving situation in Israel and Palestine. We are at a watershed moment. Israel’s threat to annex parts of the occupied West Bank has alarmed Palestinians, many Israelis and the broader international community. If implemented, annexation would constitute a most serious violation of international law, grievously harm the prospect of a two-State solution and undercut the possibilities of a renewal of negotiations.’’

The secretary-general called upon the Quartet (the UN, the United States, the European Union and Russia) to step in and create a new framework for Israeli-Palestinian talks, without any preconditions.