Israel threatens West Bank annexation if Europe recognizes Palestinian state
By isabelle // 2025-05-28
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  • Israel warns European allies that recognizing Palestinian statehood will trigger immediate annexation of the West Bank, including Area C.
  • Top Israeli officials threaten to legalize illegal settlements and seize land if France or the UK unilaterally recognize Palestine.
  • The ultimatum comes ahead of a UN conference on reviving the two-state solution, exposing Israel’s push for permanent occupation.
  • European nations are divided, with Spain and Malta supporting recognition while Germany and Hungary oppose it.
  • Netanyahu’s government aims to cement Jewish demographic control, leaving Palestinians fragmented as global outrage grows over Gaza.
Israel has issued a shocking warning to European allies: Recognize Palestine, and we will annex the West Bank. In a brazen escalation, Israeli officials have told France and the UK that unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood will trigger immediate land seizures, further entrenching apartheid policies and ethnic cleansing in occupied territories. According to reports from Haaretz , Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar delivered the ultimatum to European counterparts, threatening to legalize illegal settlements and formally annex Area C, which makes up around 60% of the West Bank, if recognition moves forward. The warnings come ahead of a June UN conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia aimed at reviving the two-state solution in a framework Israel has long sabotaged. With settler violence surging and Netanyahu’s far-right coalition accelerating land grabs, the threat exposes Israel’s true agenda: permanent occupation and Jewish supremacy from the river to the sea.

Israel’s annexation gambit

Israel’s cabinet recently voted to assume full control over land registration in Area C in a move that is widely being seen as a de facto annexation. Far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Israel Katz have openly pushed for formalizing this theft, emboldened by weak Western enforcement of international law. Dermer reportedly told French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot that recognition would force Israel’s hand. An unnamed diplomat confirmed the threat: “Such steps could include legalizing unauthorized settler outposts under Israeli law and annexing parts of Area C.” Sa’ar echoed the warning, declaring, “Unilateral moves against Israel will be met with unilateral moves by Israel.” The message is clear: Defy us, and we’ll accelerate ethnic cleansing.

Europe’s fractured response

While Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic oppose unilateral recognition, Spain and Malta have signaled support. France’s Macron has hinted at recognizing Palestine in a move Netanyahu called “a huge prize for terror.” The hypocrisy is staggering. Israel, which owes its existence to unilateral Western recognition in 1948, now denies Palestinians the same right. Meanwhile, its war machine continues slaughtering civilians in Gaza while starving them under a medieval blockade. Sweden summoned Israel’s ambassador over aid restrictions, with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stating, “We do not support what the Israeli government is currently doing by denying access to Gaza.” At least 17 EU states now back reviewing the bloc’s trade agreement with Israel over human rights violations.

The real goal: Greater Israel

Netanyahu’s regime isn’t hiding its ambitions. Annexing Area C would cement Jewish demographic control, leaving Palestinians fragmented in disconnected areas. Former Israeli diplomat Alon Liel admitted the stakes: “If our historic friends like Britain and France recognize Palestine… it will have to change Israeli thinking.” But instead of introspection, Israel doubles down on threats. The timing is no accident. With global outrage mounting over Gaza, Israel fears losing Western cover for its crimes. By dangling annexation, it dares Europe to act, knowing most leaders lack the courage. Israel’s ultimatum lays bare the fraud of the “two-state solution.” For decades, the U.S. and Europe funded occupation while pretending to oppose it. Now, as Israel openly plots annexation, will they finally act? The answer, tragically, is likely no. Western powers prioritize arms deals and geopolitical alliances over justice. But as South Africa proved, apartheid regimes eventually fall. The question is how many more Palestinians must die before the world stops enabling their oppressors. Sources for this article include: TheCradle.co TimesOfIsrael.com MiddleEastEye.net
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