UN warns of Israeli plans to annex the West Bank amid Arab calls to stop them

International and Arab warnings have intensified regarding Israel’s plans to tighten its grip on the occupied West Bank and expand settlements. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that these steps constitute an acceleration of illegal annexation, undermining the Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council called on US President Donald Trump to fulfill his pledge to prevent Israel from implementing its annexation plans.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Türk explained that the recent decisions issued by the Israeli Security Cabinet are part of a series of measures aimed at annexing Palestinian territory. He noted that their implementation would accelerate the dispossession of Palestinians, their forced displacement, the establishment of more illegal settlements, the denial of their natural resources, and the restriction of their fundamental rights.

The new plans include allowing settlers to directly purchase land in the West Bank and expanding Israeli control and enforcement powers to include areas classified as Areas A and B, which are under the administrative and security control of the Palestinian Authority. This expansion is justified by claims of building violations, water rights, and violations related to archaeological and environmental sites, thus enabling the demolition and confiscation of Palestinian property even in these areas.

Turk emphasized that these measures will entrench Israeli control and annex the West Bank to Israel, violating the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and Israel’s obligations as an occupying power under international law. He called for the immediate cancellation of these decisions.

He noted that these steps come amidst escalating attacks by settlers and Israeli military forces, forced displacement, evictions, house demolitions, land confiscations, and restrictions on movement, all part of what he described as a rapidly changing demographic composition in the occupied Palestinian territory.

More than 500,000 settlers live in the West Bank in settlements and outposts that are considered illegal under international law, along with about three million Palestinians.