The United Nations' special envoy to the Middle East on Thursday Warned Israel against pushing ahead with applying sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria, a move the fledgling Israeli government would be able to pursue as early as July 1 under its coalition agreement,
The UN's warning joined one issued by the European Union, who urged Israel not to compromise the current status quo in the area.
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In a video briefing with the UN Security Council on Thursday, special envoy to the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov cautioned that Israeli annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley would deal a "devastating blow" to the two-state solution.
French news agency AFP said that, citing the "continued confrontation and fighting, as the human toll of war continues to rise," Mladenov called Israel's plans to apply sovereignty to areas designated for Israel under the US peace plan for the region were "dangerous" and could significantly destabilize the region.
"The dangerous prospect of annexation by Israel of parts of the West Bank is a growing threat," he said, asserting that any such move would be in a violation of international law.
"This would deal a devastating blow to the two-state solution, close the door to a renewal of negotiations, and threaten efforts to advance regional peace," he said.
Mladenov thus echoed European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, who said any annexation move by Israel "would constitute a serious violation of international law."
The 27-member bloc does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank and that it will "continue to closely monitor the situation and its broader implications, and will act accordingly," Borrell said.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival Blue and White leader Benny Gantz signed a coalition agreement that would enable the move despite the latter's aversion to it.
Netanyahu's pro-settler base is eager to move forward with annexation while the friendly administration of US President
Donald Trump is in office.
The White House's long-awaited Mideast plan, unveiled earlier this year, envisions leaving parts of the West Bank under
permanent Israeli control. The Palestinians have rejected the plan as biased.
Israel's Foreign Ministry responded to the EU with a statement deploring that Borrell "opts to see the relations between
Israel and the European Union" solely through the "status of the territories."
