SA condemns Israeli minister’s proposal for West Bank annexation

South Africa has condemned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s call for the annexation of the occupied West Bank.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said the development was “compounded” by a decision adopted by the Israeli Cabinet on 18 June, which gave Smotrich approval to plan construction in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT).

“It should be recalled that soon after his appointment to his current position, Mr Smotrich moved quickly to approve thousands of new settlement homes and legalised previously unauthorised settlements, which practically made it more difficult for Palestinians to build homes and move around.”

Annexation

The department said it believes the Israeli government has long sought to find ways to permanently seize or annex the occupied West Bank.

“South Africa calls on the international community to unequivocally oppose the Israeli government’s continued violation of its obligations under International Law and Resolutions relating to its belligerent occupation,

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“The Israeli government’s provocative policies and actions are extreme and warrant decisive response by the international community. South Africa is opposed to the Israeli illegal annexation and settlement expansion on Palestinian lands,” Dirco said.

‘Israel’s illegal presence’

Dirco said the developments go further than just a de facto annexation of the OPTs and entrenching the illegal Israel’s presence in the OPT, particularly in the West Bank.

“This latest move illustrates the lack of any meaningful effort directed at achieving peace or any hope for a two-state solution.

“South Africa further calls for concrete actions aimed at reviving a political process, leading to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, in compliance with all relevant UN Resolutions, international law and internationally agreed parameters,” Dirco said.

Britain’s condemnation

Meanwhile, Britain on Thursday also condemned Smotrich’s statements proposing annexation of the occupied West Bank.

“I condemn (Israeli Finance) Minister (Bezalel) Smotrich’s comments proposing annexation of land in the West Bank,” Hamish Falconer, the UK’s minister for the Middle East and North Africa, wrote on X.

Falconer urged the Israeli government to reject the proposal.

In July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark opinion that declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land “illegal”.

The ICJ demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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