Special edition: Israel's contentious annexation plan for the West bank

FRANCE 24 English

In this edition, we're focusing our entire programme on Israel’s planned annexation of settlements in the West Bank. The term ‘annexation’ is used when a state unilaterally incorporates another territory within its borders. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called these zones “an integral part of the historic Jewish homeland”. Palestinians say the plan is an “existential threat" and have threatened to respond with their own measures.

This latest move comes after US President Donald Trump last year presented a so-called “Middle East plan”, which allows Israel to annex 30 percent of this territory, which has been under illegal occupation – according to international law – since 1967.

Joining our programme to discuss this contentious issue is Dr Evan Cohen, former international media advisor to Israel’s prime minister, and Ashraf al-Ajrami, a former minister for the Palestinian authority.

But first here’s our report, which looks at the landlocked territory in question: the West Bank.