Five leading European powers issued a joint statement last Thursday condemning Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to impose Israeli sovereignty on the Jordan Valley saying it would be “a serious violation of international law.”
“France Germany Italy Spain and the United Kingdom are deeply concerned about the announcement of a possible annexation of areas in the West Bank particularly the Jordan valley and the northern shore of the Dead Sea” the statement said.
“This would if implemented constitute a serious breach of international law” it said warning that such moves “imperil the viability of a two-state solution based on the 1967 lines and make it harder to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
The European countries’ position joined widespread international condemnation of Netanyahu’s announcement.
Battling to win reelection on September 17 Netanyahu made the pledge on Tuesday night drawing strong condemnation from the Palestinians Arab states the United Nations the European Union and different countries.
He also repeated his intention to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank but in coordination with US president Donald Trump.
