Israeli foreign minister threatens West Bank annexation

Occupied Jerusalem: Israel's hard-line foreign minister has warned Palestinians against plans to unilaterally declare independence next year, saying in an interview that such a move could prompt Israel to annex parts of the West Bank and annul past peace agreements.

Avigdor Lieberman's remarks on Tuesday on Palestinian independence took aim at a Palestinian policy.

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, whose Western-backed administration has a limited governing role in the Israeli-controlled West Bank, announced plans to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state, possibly as early as the summer of 2011 - even without a peace deal.

Lieberman warned if Palestinians declared independence, Israel could revoke the 1990s peace agreements known as the Oslo accords or even annex parts of the West Bank.