Amnesty condemns US support for Israel’s plans to annex West Bank

Amnesty International yesterday condemned the United States’ support for Israel’s plans to annex large swathes of the occupied West Bank.

The rights watchdog said the US’ “firm support to Israel’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank shows how both the U.S. and Israel see themselves as above the law”, adding that “such a step offers the Israeli authorities the greenlight to continue violating international laws.”

“Such plans will not change the legal obligations of Israel, as the occupying power, under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, nor deprive Palestinians of protections guaranteed under these legal frameworks,” it added on Twitter.

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It called on the international community to reject the Israeli plan “to unlawfully annex parts of the occupied West Bank, which violate international law, and reiterate the illegality of Israeli settlements in occupied territory.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel for several hours on Wednesday during which he announced his country’s support for Israel’s annexation plan, adding that Israel will “decide when and how it will annex the territories”.

According to Palestinian estimates, the Israeli annexation will affect more than 30 per cent of the West Bank area.