Exploring Israel's Strategy For Unilateral Annexation Of The Palestinian Territories

Illustration (Source: Ahmed Abu Hameeda / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Yesterday, thousands of Palestinians rallied in Jericho to protest against Israel's unilateral plan to annex the West Bank and Jordan Valley. Not only in Jericho. The plan to annex the Palestinian territories, supported by the President of the United States (US) Donald Trump, has received a wave of international protests.

Demonstrations held in Jericho, southern Jordan Valley revolved around the call of Fatah, the party of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, according to AFP. It is Trump's biggest move since releasing his controversial plans in January to reconcile Israel and Palestine. "We will not let Israel steal our land," said one of the demonstrators, Kamal Said.

Meanwhile, another demonstrator, Mohammed Ishloon, said the Palestinian state would lose its land if the plan continued. "If Israel annexes, there will be no land left for a Palestinian state," he said.

Palestine of course rejects the plan. Now they are trying to build international support against it. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is adamant about his plans which will start to be implemented on July 1, according to France 24.

In the Israeli annexation plan, they argue that they will help establish a Palestinian state. However, on the condition of reducing the Palestinian territories and without fulfilling the country's main request to make East Jerusalem its capital.

The plan of course provoked the deployment of Palestinians. In their demonstration, they were seen writing strong aspirations such as "Palestine is not for sale" and "There is no Palestinian state without the Jordan Valley."

International refusal

The UN Middle East delegation Nickolay Mladenov also protested and criticized the US-backed annexation plan. He said the plan could "kill" the peace and threaten the Palestinian state.

"The UN believes the annexation is against international law," Mladenov was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera. "If it happens it might kill the idea that peace and statehood for the Palestinian people can be achieved through negotiations," he added.

Mladenov said that the region is home to Palestinians, therefore don't forget the struggle for Palestinian liberation. "You don't rent a house, it's your house. Don't forget the goal of a free Palestinian state," he said.

As is well known, the West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967, is home to 2.7 million Palestinians and 450 thousand Israeli settlers. Jordan has a peace treaty with Israel, but if the annexation plan goes ahead, other countries supporting the peace will be opposed to it.

The plan for annexation was widely opposed by the international community, including Arab countries. Meanwhile, European Union countries have also raised concerns over Israel's unilateral move to colonize the occupied Palestinian territories.

The protest movement was seen at the gathering of diplomats from China, Russia, the European Union and Japan yesterday. Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat told AFP that an "international coalition" including Arab, African and European countries supported Palestine in rejecting Israel's annexation plan.