Several thousand Palestinians rallied in downtown Ramallah today against Israel’s intention to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank.
Participants hoisted the Palestinian flag and signs denouncing the annexation plan, while speakers warned of the imminent danger to security and stability in the region if Israel proceeds with its plan.
The Israeli government is currently debating annexation of the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea, which border Jordan, as well as applying sovereignty to over 100 illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a process Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said will start on July 1.
Speakers at the rally, who included Fatah and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officials, warned that the annexation would kill any chance of reaching peace agreement in the region as it would kill the goal of establishing an independent and viable Palestinian state within the June 5, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In response to the annexation plan, the PLO last month absolved itself of the agreements it signed with Israel and suspended all ties with it, including security coordination. It also demanded a clear and firm position from the international community against the annexation, including imposing sanction on Israel.