Interpal, rights groups condemn US ‘peace plan’

Human rights advocates condemned US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s formal “annexation plan” of Palestinian land as the two leaders yesterday presented the US-proposed solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Drafted without the input of Palestinians and unveiled just hours after Netanyahu was formally indicted on corruption charges, the so-called “peace plan” unilaterally annuls previous UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue and gives Israel almost everything it has been demanding.

In a statement, British charity Interpal and 15 other UK-based humanitarian groups, said the peace plan will “lead to the formal annexation of Palestinian land, perpetual Israeli occupation, and the negation of Palestinians’ collective right to self-determination and that such an outcome will only deepen poverty and polarisation.”

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The UK has repeatedly stated that annexation of part of the West Bank “would be contrary to international law, damaging to peace efforts and could not pass unchallenged.” The rights groups said now is the time for the UK to outline what form such a challenge would take, and how it will work with other states to support the Palestinian people to attain their fundamental right to self-determination.

“The international community must stop rewarding Israel’s regime of oppression and domination and its prolonged occupation and colonisation for the continued commission of grave breaches and suspected international crimes against the Palestinian people,” Al-Haq, a Palestinian rights organisation, said in a statement also condemning the newly released plan.

It calls on the Palestinian Authority and all relevant Palestinian officials to continue to reject any plan or agreement that is not founded on international law, and also noted how Palestinians will not be able to exercise their right to self-determination and will continue to be completely dependent on Israel’s goodwill for their daily life, with no political rights and no way to influence their future.

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Palestinians in occupied territories held protests yesterday ahead of the deal’s announcement. Larger demonstrations are taking place as Palestinians declares today a “day of rage” to voice their opposition to the deal, closing shops and going on strike. They called on President Mahmoud  Abbas to take practical measures against the deal.