Israel’s Parliament Approves Resolution to Annex West Bank

The Israeli Parliament Wednesday passed a non-binding resolution in favor of annexing the West Bank, a symbolic move that elicited a furious response from Palestinians and other countries in the region, the Times of Israel reported. 

The resolution, which passed 71-13, called the West Bank an integral part of the “Land of Israel” and claimed that the country holds the “natural, historical and legal right” to the territory. 

It also appealed to the government to extend “Israeli sovereignty, law, judgment and administration” over all Jewish settlements in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, the government’s terms for the West Bank.  

The motion was brought by lawmakers from the Religious Zionism, Likud, and Yisrael Beytenu parties, and while it has no direct legal implications, it might put the annexation of the West Bank on the parliamentary agenda, Al Jazeera noted. 

Israel seized the West Bank from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War. The area is now estimated to be home to more than 500,000 Israeli settlers alongside millions of Palestinians.  

For years, the Israeli far right has aspired to formally annex the West Bank. 

The international community largely views Israel as illegally occupying the West Bank and that the settlements constitute a violation of international law.  

In a groundbreaking ruling last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and urged the removal of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s resolution came amid political instability: The governing coalition was weakened after two ultra-Orthodox parties exited over a law that would compel members of their community to enlist. 

Palestinian officials strongly condemned the vote, saying that it constitutes a violation of international law and an attack on Palestinian rights, hinders peace efforts, and the possibility of a two-state solution, Anadolu Agency wrote. 

Hamas urged Palestinians in the West Bank to intensify resistance against Israel and called on the international community to intervene. 

Jordan and Saudi Arabia also criticized Israel’s vote as “a blatant violation of international law” and a threat to reaching peace through the two-state solution, Arab News added.