Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)’s Executive Committee, Saeb Erekat, has called for the formation of an international coalition to confront Israel’s plans to annex large areas of the occupied West Bank as well as the Jordan Valley and East Jerusalem.
“The formation of the international coalition must emanate from an international conference which includes all of the world countries under the United Nations auspices to support the Palestinian people and reject the occupation’s aggressive measures against the Palestinian people including settlement, Judaization, blockade and killings that contradict all international conventions and norms,” he told Al-Mugtama news site.
Erekat added that the Palestinian Authority has been leading intensive diplomatic efforts to mobilise international support against the Israeli annexation plans, stressing that recognising a Palestinian state is the first step towards preventing Israel from seizing nearly 33 per cent of the occupied West Bank.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he plans to take steps to annex large swathes of the occupied West Bank and Jordan Valley from 1 July, as part of the US’ so-called “peace plan” for the region.
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