German FM Maas voices ‘serious EU concerns’ over Israeli annexation plan during Jerusalem visit

Berlin and its European partners have “serious concerns” over Israel’s plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Maas is the first high-level European visitor to Israel since the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Israel intends to annex West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley, as proposed by US President Donald Trump. The initial steps are slated to begin from July 1, the same day Germany takes the rotating EU presidency.

“Together with the European Union, we believe that annexation would not be compatible with international law,” Maas told a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi. The German diplomat called instead for the resumption of talks toward a two-state solution, AFP reports.

However, the EU is yet to agree on how to react if Israel presses ahead with annexation, including whether to impose sanctions. “I don’t think much of the politics of issuing threats at a stage when no decision has been taken yet,” Maas said.