Shtayyeh: Israel must face consequences over planned West Bank annexations

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Tuesday, that Israel must face consequences if it annexes land in the occupied West Bank, pointing to possible European sanctions.

At a news conference, Shtayyeh said annexation would kill any possibility of peace with Israel and erode “the Palestinian, regional and international consensus” on a two-state solution.

He said Israel must now “feel the heat of international pressure”.

European states, Shtayyeh said, were debating “sanctions on Israel and freezing association agreements, as well as cancelling some research programmes” and “recognising Palestine” as a state in the West Bank and Gaza.