Australia
Foreign Minister Marise Payne: “We are following with concern possible moves towards the unilateral annexation or change in status of territory on the West Bank. The focus needs to be on a return to direct and genuine negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a durable and resilient peace arrangement, as soon as possible.”
Austria
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg: “The unilateral expansion of territory is against international law and numerous resolutions of the United Nations Security Council since 1967.”
Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “I have highlighted both publicly and directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu and alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz the importance of staying away from measures that are unilateral and our deep concerns and disagreement with their proposed policy of annexation.”
Chile
Foreign Minister Teodoro Ribera: “An eventual annexation such as the one described would have serious and unpredictable consequences for the achievement of a just and peaceful solution, further hindering a process leading to a two-state solution and a sustainable peace between Palestine and Israel, in accordance with the resolutions of United Nations.”
EU
High Representative for Foreign Affairs Joseph Borrell: “The EU does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. The EU reiterates that any annexation would constitute a serious violation of international law.”
France
Ambassador to the United Nations Nicolas de Rivière: “[Annexation] would constitute a blatant violation of international law, which strictly prohibits the acquisition by force of occupied territories. Such steps if implemented would not pass unchallenged and shall not be overlooked in our relationship with Israel.”
Germany
German Mission to the United Nations: “Germany strongly advises against the annexation of occupied Palestinian territories. This would have serious, negative repercussions on the viability of the two-state solution, the entire peace process, regional stability and ISR standing within the international community.”
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas: “Annexation would not be compatible with international law. Therefore we continue to support a negotiated, consensual solution.”
Ireland
Irish Mission to the United Nations: The unilateral annexation of territory is clearly illegal under international law. Recent announcements on settlement development in and around East Jerusalem are also of grave concern. Moves on annexation would severely undermine prospects for a viable two-state solution, would undoubtedly represent a most serious unilateral departure from the Oslo Accords, and would also have grave consequences for the lives and rights of Palestinians.
Italy
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte: “Negotiations with the Palestinians must be renewed and a two-state solution must be achieved on the basis of international law.”
Jordan
King Abdullah II: “What would happen if the Palestinian National Authority collapsed? There would be more chaos and extremism in the region. If Israel really annexed the West Bank in July, it would lead to a massive conflict with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”
Prime Minister Omar Razzaz: “The peace treaty can go into a deep freeze mode and therefore it is definitely at risk [should Israel follow through with the annexations, as outlined in the Trump plan.]”
Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi: “The message should be clear. Annexation will not go unanswered. For if it does, there will only be fiercer conflict. Annexation will make the two-state solution an impossibility.”
Ambassador to the United States Dina Kawar: “People need to realize is that annexation – not only it’s against international law, not only it will kill any idea of peace, not only that any Palestinian state that comes after should this annexation take place would be a Palestinian state that becomes an enclave of Israel with no borders with Jordan, with no access to Jordan, no access to anything.”
Luxembourg
Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn: “We are working vigorously to prevent the annexation of occupied Palestinian territories.”
New Zealand
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters: “The New Zealand Government’s view is that annexation would gravely undermine the two-state solution, breach international law, and pose significant risks to regional security. We call on Israel to reconsider these plans.”
Norway
Ambassador Mona Juul: “Norway remains deeply concerned about Israel’s continued settlement activities, as well as more far-reaching plans for unilateral annexations. Such actions are in contravention of international law, and undermine the feasibility of the two-state solution.”
Russia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “We share the concerns that if the proposed plans on annexation of parts of the West Bank are implemented, they could undermine prospects for creating an independent, viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state.”
United Kingdom
Prime Minister Boris Johnson: “[Annexation] would amount to a breach of international law and we’ve strongly objected and we believe profoundly in a two-state solution.”
Minister of State for the Mideast and North Africa James Cleverly: Our long-standing position is that we do not support the annexation of parts of the West Bank, and … doing so could make a sustainable two-state solution harder.
UAE
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash: “Continued Israeli talk of annexing Palestinian lands must stop. Any unilateral Israeli move will be a serious setback for the peace process, undermine Palestinian self determination and constitute a rejection of the international and Arab consensus towards stability and peace.”
UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al-Otaiba: “We think that kind of decision will only take matters and make what is an unstable region at the moment even more unstable… It will put an incredible amount of political pressure on our friends in Jordan.”
Watch Amb. Al-Otaiba’s recorded remarks on annexation >>
United Nations
Secretary General António Guterres: “Israel’s threat to annex parts of the occupied West Bank has alarmed Palestinians, many Israelis and the broader international community. If implemented, annexation would constitute a most serious violation of international law, grievously harm the prospect of a two-State solution and undercut the possibilities of a renewal of negotiations. I call on the Israeli Government to abandon its annexation plans.