The United Kingdom has condemned statements made by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposing annexation of the occupied West Bank.
Bezalel, said on Monday that in 2025 Israel will apply its sovereignty over the occupied West Bank, thus ending “the threat” of a Palestinian state.
But UK minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer wrote on x.
“I condemn (Israeli Finance) Minister (Bezalel) Smotrich’s comments proposing annexation of land in the West Bank,” Hamish Falconer, the UK’s minister for
“Annexation only undermines the prospects for peace, would lead to greater instability and would be illegal under international law,”
In July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark opinion that declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land “illegal” and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Meanwhile a UN Special Committee report said Israel is carrying out genocide in the Gaza.
The committee accused Israel of intentionally imposing life-threatening conditions on Palestinians, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
“Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life – food, water, and fuel,” the committee said, adding that Israel has systematically interfered with humanitarian aid to use vital supplies for political and military ends.
“By destroying vital water, sanitation and food systems, and contaminating the environment, Israel has created a lethal mix of crises that will inflict severe harm on generations to come,” the committee warned.
“The Israeli military’s use of AI-assisted targeting, with minimal human oversight, combined with heavy bombs, underscores Israel’s disregard of its obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants,” the committee said.
Israel has continued its devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023. The onslaught has killed more than 43,700 people and wounded some 103,000, rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable. AA
