UN chief warns that Israel’s annexation of West Bank areas will destroy two-state solution

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that Israel’s annexation of areas in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley will destroy the two-state solution and put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

A statement issued by the Arab League delegation who met with Guterres earlier this week via video conference technology quoted him as stating that Israel’s annexation plans will have severe consequences for the prospects of peace and security in the region.

According to the statement, the UN chief announced that he is conducting consultations on a number of levels, including with the UN Security Council regarding Israel’s annexation plans, while his Middle East peace process coordinator is discussing the possibility of holding another Quartet meeting.

READ: The Israeli military opposes its politicians’ annexation of the Jordan Valley 

The group of Arab states including representatives of Oman, Qatar and Kuwait as well as the Palestinian UN Envoy Riyad Mansour and the Arab League UN Envoy Maged Abdulaziz, met earlier this week with Guterres to discuss Israel’s annexation plans.

The meeting comes as a follow-up to the Arab Ministerial Meeting held last month to coordinate positions to confront Israel’s plans to annex swathes of the Palestinian territories.

The statement revealed that the Arab delegation stressed during its meeting with the UN secretary-general that all Israeli settlements are illegal, explaining that Israel is taking advantage of the world’s preoccupation with the coronavirus pandemic to implement its illegal plans despite international community’s opposition.