Annexation of the West Bank: An Irreversible Threat to Peace?

Rewind to 1947 and the Partition Plan to divide Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish state, is proposed by the UN. Fast forward to 1967 when The Six-Day War broke out between Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Syria, resulting in major land gains for Israel and the further shrinking of Palestinian lands. Following The Six-Day War, a UN resolution called for the removal of Israeli forces from Palestinian territory, but this never came to fruition. A long-term aim of many politicians in the region consists of a Two-State Solution, where the region is peacefully divided into two independent states. However, due – at least in part – to Israeli and Palestinian aggression, the likelihood of this aim being achieved is constantly diminishing.

Recent announcements by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, suggest that Israel will completely annex the West Bank, an area of land traditionally held by Palestine and inhabited by up to 3 million Arabs. Annexation is illegal under international law. Israel’s belief that it is seemingly their prerogative to continuously annex land from Palestine is, therefore, staggering, especially considering the number of times that the borders between the two states have been confirmed under international law. Netanyahu can be argued to disregard this international law under the guise of Zionism. This is a movement whose goal is to create a Jewish national state but Netanyahu seems to use it to advance his controversial policies and his dream of a fully Jewish state, whilst disregarding international implications.

Netanyahu can be argued to disregard this international law under the guise of Zionism

Any international reaction to Israel’s plan to annex the Western Bank have been overshadowed by the recent Covid-19 pandemic, yet this has not inhibited many countries from urging Netanyahu to reconsider the move. For example, both Germany and France have urged him to halt his efforts to annex the area, but it appears to have had little effect on the Israeli Prime Minister. Furthermore, Donald Trump’s allegiance to Netanyahu has resulted in relative silence on the topic from the US, decreasing the possibility of an international effort to stop the annexation, considering the large impact that the US has on international politics.

The repercussions of a planned annexation of the Western Bank could lead to irreparable consequences

If Israel annexes the Western Bank, the resulting consequences will be long-lasting. Netanyahu has previously stated that equal rights and citizenship will not be upheld for Palestinians in the region, thus creating a large number of refugees in the area. Additionally, any hopes of a Two-State Solution will likely be destroyed, as Israel would control the majority of land around the Mediterranean, diminishing Palestine’s opportunity to absorb any previously owned land into an independent state. Peace between the two states would then, almost inevitably, dissolve into violence, triggering another intifada, whereby the Arabs would rise up to violently protest against oppression. The West’s preoccupation with their own domestic issues means they would be unlikely to aid Palestine in the event of the annexation. In this way, the repercussions of a planned annexation of the Western Bank could lead to irreparable consequences that will be present in the region long after Palestine has lost the land.

Annexation of the West Bank: An Irreversible Threat to Peace?

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