Ahead of Arab League session, Russia reiterates opposition to ‘annexation’
The Russian announcement came on the eve of an extraordinary meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss the “dangers” of the Israeli “annexation” plan.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEHRussian President Vladimir Putin talks with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank town of Bethlehem January 23, 2020(photo credit: ALEXANDER NEMENOV/POOL VIA REUTERS)
Russia has reaffirmed its opposition to any unilateral move by the Israeli government to apply sovereignty over parts of the West Bank.The Russian announcement came on the eve of an extraordinary meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss the “dangers” of the Israeli “annexation” plan. The videoconference meeting, which will be held at the request of the Palestinians, is scheduled to take place on Thursday.Palestinian officials said that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will chair meetings of the Fatah Central Committee and the PLO Executive Committee next week to discuss ways of responding to the Israeli plan.Abbas has hinted that he may revoke all signed agreements with Israel and halt security coordination between the PA security forces and the IDF if Israel proceeded with its plan to apply sovereignty to any part of the West Bank.In a letter to PA Foreign Minister Riyad Malki, Russian Foreign Minister Segei Lavrov said that any such move would constitute a violation of the principles of international laws and legitimacy.The letter was delivered to Malki by Buachideze Gocha Levanovich, Representative of the Russian federation to the Palestinian Authority.In his letter, Lavrov said that “the implementation of this plan prevents the establishment of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state,” according to the PA’s official news agency, Wafa. Lavrov called for speeding up the revival of direct Palestinian-Israeli talks in order to reach mutually-agreed solutions to all final-status issues, Wafa said, adding that the Russian foreign minister also affirmed Moscow’s principled position calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state “within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”Malki, for his part, stressed the need for the international community to act immediately to prevent Israel from taking the step of “annexation,” and urge the US to halt its support for this move.PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat, who has been spearheading a Palestinian diplomatic offensive against the Israeli intention to apply sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and Northern Dead Sea, said on Tuesday that he had “very important talks” with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov about the Israeli plan. “No to settlements and annexation,” Erekat said. “Yes to international law and ending the occupation.”Erekat said he also had a “good conversation” with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zahareiva, who “reiterated her country’s position for international law, the two-state solution and against annexation.”
