Cyprus must take an active stand against Israel’s annexation of occupied Palestinian territories
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 28th June 2020, Nicosia
The Israeli government is stepping up its efforts aiming to proceed to the illegal annexation of Palestinian territories which Israel has been occupying since 1967. The Israeli Prime Minister has been supported in these illegal and dangerous plans by the US government and the so-called “Deal of the Century”. At the same time, Israel is facing an international community that doesn’t accept annexation. The Secretary General of the United Nations, the member states of the UN Security Council, the Arab League, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, among others, have called on Israel not to proceed to such an action that constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, warning of the consequences.
Nevertheless, the international community must act even more decisively to prevent annexation, which, if implemented, will probably further inflame the situation with unforeseen consequences for Palestinians and Israelis, but also for all the peoples of the region.
AKEL once again denounces the plans for annexation and expresses its deep concern about these developments. At the same time, AKEL stresses that Israel’s actions strengthen the international environment of lawlessness and the rule of the mighty, thus facilitating Turkey’s illegal and adventurist actions in Cyprus and in the South eastern Mediterranean in general. AKEL underlines the need for the Cypriot government to take a very clear stand and act to prevent such a development. This is precisely why AKEL, in a letter of its Parliamentary Representative addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, requested that AKEL be briefed about the diplomatic actions that have been taken by the Republic of Cyprus at a bilateral, European and international level, to reverse fait accompli that would violate international law and the relevant resolutions of the UN.
The letter is as follows:
“Following the Israeli Prime Minister’s announcement of the annexation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley on July 1, we request that we be briefed about any possible action you have taken as the Foreign Ministry and Government on a bilateral, and/or at an EU and international level so that new illegal actions will be prevented, which flagrantly violate international law and the relevant UN resolutions and decisions.
If the Israeli Prime Minister’s announcement is realised in practice, the international community and Europe will find themselves facing the danger of further tensions in Israeli-Palestinian relations and destabilization in the region, given that the annexation of the most privileged Palestinian territories will severely undermine any prospect for a peaceful solution of the problem.
Deeply concerned about the developments in our region and fully aware that such actions create an environment that facilitates Turkey’s illegal and adventurist actions in the Eastern Mediterranean region, we urge you to brief AKEL of any possible diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Cyprus government to prevent the annexation announcement from being carried out.
We remain at your disposal for clarification.”
