Abu Dhabi warns Israel of consequences of annexing the West Bank

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has warned Israel that any plans to annex the West Bank would be a red line for Abu Dhabi and could also seriously jeopardize the spirit of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between the two countries.

Lana Nusseibeh, Deputy Minister of Political Affairs and Special Envoy of the UAE Foreign Minister, emphasized that the Abraham Accords are understood as a means of supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspirations for an independent state.

In August, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the start of construction of a controversial settlement that would physically divide the West Bank and separate it from East Jerusalem.

According to his ministry, this would bury the idea of a Palestinian state once and for all.
The Palestinian government, its allies, and activist groups condemned the plans as illegal and a threat to the peace process in the region.

Nusseibeh called on the Israeli government to suspend the plans and warned that extremists should not be allowed to determine the direction of the region.

She emphasized that peace requires courage, patience, and the rejection of violence as a solution.
(reuters, sie)