Israeli minister's calls to annex West Bank sparks global outrage

Western and Arab diplomats have denounced controversial remarks by Israel's far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had called for Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank when Donald Trump returns to the White House next year.

Smotrich, who also wields a defence ministry supervisory role for settlers, posted on X on Monday that the year 2025 would be "the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria", using the Jewish biblical name used by Israeli extremists in reference to the occupied West Bank, where some three million Palestinians live.

The Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on the same day that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in talks recently that the possibility of applying Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank should be put back on the agenda when Trump returns to the White House.

Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, slammed the proposal as a "clear step towards illegal annexation" of the West Bank, which is part of the Palestinian territories under the UN's Partition Plan for Palestine, which was adopted in 1947 and paved way for the establishment of Israel.

"I unequivocally condemn Minister Smotrich's call to 'apply sovereignty' in the West Bank, a clear step towards illegal annexation," Borell posted on X.

"Such rhetoric undermines international law, violates Palestinians’ rights and threatens any prospects for a 2-state solution" he continued. 

Germany’s ambassador to Israel condemned Smotrich's remarks, saying they were in "full breach" of international law.

"Any preparation to implement this goal is in full breach of international law. We strongly condemn this announcement which threatens the stability of the entire region," Steffen Seibert posted on X

The French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot also denounced the remarks.

"It is clear that we denounce the policy encouraged by this minister […] that is to continue the illegal activity in terms of international law, which is colonisation, aggressive colonisation of the West Bank," he said.

Palestinian, Arab reaction

Hamas rejected comments by Smotrich, saying in a Telegram statement on Monday, that what he had announced "categorically confirmed the intentions of the colonialist occupation and its denial of our people's national rights".

"We will not allow the terrorist Smotrich or any other Zionist war criminal to carry out their malicious plans, which will never grant them legitimacy over our occupied territories, and will not change the facts of history that the West Bank is a pure Palestinian land and an integral part of our independent Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital," the statement said.

Hamas urged the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the UN to take "effective action to curb this Zionist, colonialist gang that continues to defy international legitimacy".

The Qatari foreign minister also called the Israeli minister's comments a "blatant violation of international law".

A ministry statement denounced his call as a "dangerous escalation that would hinder the chances of peace in the region, especially with the ongoing brutal war on the Gaza Strip and its horrific repercussions".

It called on the international community "to stand firmly against the occupation's settlement, colonial and racist policies, and its repeated attacks on the Palestinian rights, especially its ongoing crimes in the West Bank".

Egypt's foreign ministry decried Smotrich's call, slamming it as a "flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law".

"The irresponsible and extremist remarks by a member of the Israeli government clearly reflect Israel’s rejection of adopting the peace option in the region," the statement said.

Meanwhile, Jordan said the Israeli minister's call was "racist" and "extremist" in nature.

In a statement, it said his remarks were a "blatant violation of international law and the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with sovereignty along the June 4, 1967 borders and its capital in occupied Jerusalem".

Turkey's foreign ministry criticised the remarks in a statement on Tuesday, which it described as "defiance of international law and a two-state solution", adding that they are "proof" that Israel's ultimate goal is to seize all Palestinian territories.

"The impunity with which Israel pursues its policy of genocide and occupation against the Palestinian people further emboldens Netanyahu and his supporters," it said, urging the UN Security Council and the international community to take a "strong stance against Israel's unlawful policies". 

In June, Smotrich confirmed reports from The New York Times that he had a "secret plan" to annex the West Bank and thwart any efforts to incorporate it into a future Palestinian state. 

While sanctions are currently imposed on Smotrich, the US and the UK had previously said they were considering measures against the extremists minister over his controversial statements.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. According to Israeli estimates, more than 720,000 settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Under international law, all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are considered illegal.