Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer threatened on Monday that Israel would annex parts of the West Bank if the United Kingdom and France, among other countries, recognize the Palestinian state.
In a conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Dermer warned that Israel would take unilateral measures such as legalizing unauthorized settlements and annexing parts of Area C of the West Bank, the largest of the three administrative sectors into which the territory was divided following the Oslo Accords, which were temporary and never implemented.
This area is administered by Israel, while Area B would be under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority and military control of Israel, with Area A administered exclusively by the Palestinian Authority.
Dermer made these statements in response to potential international recognition of the Palestinian state at the New York summit to be co-chaired on June 18 by France and Saudi Arabia, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Separately, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reportedly issued similar warnings regarding possible “unilateral measures” to both Barrot and his British counterpart, David Lammy, and other countries, according to reports from the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom confirmed by Haaretz.
The British Foreign Minister stated last month that his government was in talks with France about the possibility of such recognition, although he noted that London would only support the measure if it had tangible consequences.
