JERUSALEM, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visited Israel on Wednesday and voiced Europe's "concerns" over Israel's plan to begin annexing portions of the West Bank on July 1.
Speaking at a joint news conference alongside Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi in Jerusalem, Maas warned that annexation will violate international law.
Maas, who is the first European minister to visit Israel since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, said Germany and the European Union (EU) "seek dialogue" with Israel, but stressed that Europe object the annexation.
"As a friend of Israel, I am concerned," he said, adding that Germany still supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Despite some of Israel's European allies called earlier for sanctions against Israel in July in case it will pursue with the annexation, Maas declined to elaborate on how Germany or the EU would respond. "I have not set up any price tags," he said, adding that the purpose of his visit was to learn more about Israel's plans.
Ashkenazi said that there are "significant regional opportunities, most notably U.S. President (Donald) Trump's Peace Initiative."
"The plan will be pursued responsibly in full coordination with the United States, while maintaining Israel's peace agreements and strategic interests. We intend to do it in a dialogue with our neighbors," he said.
The visit comes weeks before Israel intends to impose its sovereignty over the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Under his plan, Netanyahu wants to impose Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, which is part of the West Bank, a territory seized by Israel in 1976 and which the Palestinians see as their future state.
The plan has been denounced by the Palestinians, who cancelled the security coordination with Israel, the EU and the United Nations. Enditem
