US nods as world voices opposition
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that Israel had the US green light to annex Palestinian land, amid wide criticism of the Jewish state's plans.
"Decisions about Israelis extending sovereignty to those places are decisions for the Israelis to make," Pompeo told reporters.
"We are talking to all of the countries in the region about how it is we can manage this process for our end-state objective," he said.
He was speaking moments after the United Nations and the Arab League, during a UN Security Council session, joined in calling for Israel to abandon its plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
Arab states, notably US ally Jordan, have voiced alarm at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's indication that he will move ahead as soon as next week to annex much of the occupied West Bank, saying that it would kill prospects for peace.
More than 1,000 European lawmakers from 25 countries urged their leaders Wednesday to step in and stop Israel's planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank. In a letter published in newspapers and sent to European foreign ministers, the 1,080 parliamentarians said they were "deeply worried about the precedent this would set for international relations".
But Pompeo said that both Netanyahu and Gulf states backed a Middle East plan unveiled in January by President Donald Trump, which gives the blessing to Israel for annexation and allows for a demilitarized Palestinian state. But the plan falls far short of Palestinian aspirations, with a state on reduced territory and without east Jerusalem as a capital.
Meanwhile, Gaza rulers Hamas yesterday said Israel's planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank would be a "declaration of war".
Hamas and Israel have fought three wars in recent years, with the latest conflict in 2014 killing 2,251 Palestinians and 74 people on the Israeli side.
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