Jordanian Foreign Minister Says Israeli Annexation Will Lead to 'Fiercer Conflict'

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said in a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee that the international community must block any Israeli moves toward West Bank annexation and prevent such "unprecedented threat to peace."

"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, it will make institutionalized apartheid an inevitability; it will diminish all chances for a lasting and comprehensive regional peace," Safadi told the AHLC meeting.

Safadi also said annexation will have dangerous consequences for Israel-Jordan relations. The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Qatar, Netherlands, Tunis, Spain, and a representative of the European Union.

Last month, Jordan's King Abdullah II issued harsh warnings against Israel's annexation plans, saying it would lead to "massive conflict" with his country. Israeli defense officials believe it could kill the peace deal between the two countries

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said cabinet discussions would begin on July 1 for his plan to extend Israeli sovereignty to occupied territory Palestinians want for their own state. In response, the Palestinian Authority has begun withdrawing from agreements with Israel and the United States, including the security coordination.

On Monday, the UAE joined many Arab states in its opposition to Israeli annexation. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said any unilateral move by Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank would be a serious setback for the Middle East peace process. Israel and the UAE do not have formal diplomatic relations, but there are many clandestine contacts between the two countries.

The European Union Foreign Affairs Council discussed last month possible responses to annexation moves by Israel. When asked about the possibility of sanctions, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said that it is a complex issue and that "there have been several proposals on the table."

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Several European countries, headed by France along with Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Belgium and Luxembourg are all said to be calling for a hard line on the issue.