Efforts within the European Union to respond to Israel if it annexes parts of the West Bank

European diplomats revealed the intention of European countries to urge the European Union to respond strictly if the Israeli occupation entity annexes parts of the West Bank.

France is putting pressure on its partners in the EU to take a strict response if “Israel” goes ahead with its threat to annex parts of the West Bank, Reuters quoted three diplomats at the EU as saying.  Belgium, Ireland and Luxembourg also want to discuss the possibility of taking punitive economic measures during the meeting of the EU foreign ministers which is scheduled to be held next Friday.

A spokesman for the European Union refused on Monday to disclose the internal discussions, confirming  that the annexation contradicts the  international law, and if “Israel” goes ahead with it, the European Union will act.

 A senior EU diplomat involved in the discussions said that there is clearly a need to consider the meaning of annexation in the context of international law, underlining the urgency to know our options as a way to stop any such move.

Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, confirmed last February that steps to annex Palestinian lands “if they are implemented,  they cannot be passed without objection.”

Inas Abdulkareem