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A Palestinian woman holds up a national flag as she demonstrates outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's old city on May 17, 2015, against the "flag march" attended by Israeli nationalists to mark the 48th anniversary of the capture of Arab east Jerusalem in the Six Day War of 1967. Known as Jerusalem Day, the anniversary marks Israel's seizure and later annexation of the territory, which includes the walled Old City, in a move never recognised by the international community. Image Credit: AFP

Gargash participates in OIC Executive Committee emergency meeting

The UAE reiterated its rejection of Israel’s plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank and its absolute support for the just Palestinian rights.

The UAE joined a long list of Arab and Muslim nations that have condemned the expected Israeli move, following the emergency meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said : “I participated in the emergency meeting of OIC Executive Committee to discuss Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. We reaffirmed the UAE’s rejection of any aggressive step that violates international laws and harms the established Palestinian rights.”

Earlier, Gargash said: "Any unilateral Israeli move will be a serious setback for the peace process," he wrote on Twitter.

He added that annexation would "constitute a rejection of the international & Arab consensus towards stability & peace."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will annex parts of the West Bank, including the strategic Jordan Valley and dozens of Jewish settlements, in line with President Donald Trump's Mideast plan. He has signalled he will begin moving forward with annexation next month.