FRANCE AND THE EU THREATEN ISRAEL OVER ANNEXATION

Israel celebrates, Palestinians rage at Pompeo's sovereignty statements

By Daniel Siryoti and Yehuda Shlezinger

Israel Hayom
May 13, 2020

In response to an interview US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave to Israel Hayom on Tuesday, in which he backed Israel on the issue of applying sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, Israel is jubilant. The Palestinians, meanwhile, are issuing harsh condemnations.

Economy Minister Eli Cohen, who sits on the Diplomatic Security Cabinet, said after Pompeo's interview that he "saluted Secretary Pompeo's remarks that applying sovereignty is Israel's decision.

"We now have a historic opportunity to promote the issue with the backing of the most supportive administration we've ever had in the White House, thanks to President Trump's 'deal of the century.' We have to take advantage of this opportunity immediately and apply sovereignty as soon as possible," Cohen said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely added that she expected the government to "go down in history" for applying sovereignty and said, "This historic event will be historic justice for the regions of the homeland that were liberated in the Six-Day War."

Not surprisingly, the PA is warning that annexation of Judea and Samaria will herald a disaster for the Palestinians and cause a "nakba" [catastrophe] similar to what took place in 1948.

A senior member of the PA leadership in Ramallah told Israel Hayom: "Annexing the Jordan Valley and parts of the West Bank to Israel will be nothing less than another 'Nakba' for the Palestinian people. The Trump administration is supporting and encouraging the ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, and legitimizing the Zionist occupation's crimes against the Palestinians."

Another high-ranking Palestinian official said she was coordinating a regional and international gambit to thwart the annexation plan, as well as calling for sanctions against Israel if it decides to proceed with annexation.

"We will appeal to the UN and international organizations to stop this," the official said.

The Palestinian leadership also expressed deep disappointment in Arab countries and criticized the stances of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf Arab Emirates on the matter of Israeli annexation.

"We are furious and heavily disappointed in the Arab rulers who have done nothing less than betray us," senior officials said

"The declarations being made by Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, as well as other Arab countries, against the plan to annex the [Jordan] Valley and large parts of the West Bank are lip service," they said.

The European Union is also perturbed at the prospect of Israel annexing the Jordan Valley, Judea, and Samaria. This week, France said it would push for a "tough" EU response to any such action by Israel.

A "tough response" translates to sanctions on Israel.

The matter is slated to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers this Friday.

The EU's official position is that any Israeli annexation of territory in Judea and Samaria is a violation of international law and goes against international "understandings" about conditions for a future peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

European Union High Representative Josep Borrell Fontelles said Tuesday that the EU "urged both sides to renew talks and avoid any unilateral actions that go against international law."

Fontelles said the EU was "especially worried" about the expected announcement of the annexation of the Jordan Valley and other parts of the West Bank, and said that steps to annex these areas would not go "unanswered."