Jordan warns Israel of massive conflict over annexation

BERLIN

Jordanian king on Friday warned that if Israel annexes the West Bank, it would lead to a “massive conflict” with Jordan.

“If Israel really annexes the West Bank in July, it would lead to a massive conflict with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” King Abdullah II said in an interview with Der Spiegel.

“Leaders who advocate a one-state solution do not understand what that would mean,” he said, adding that there would be more chaos and extremism in the region.

Israel is expected to carry out the annexation on July 1, as agreed between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and head of Blue and White party Benny Gantz.

Palestinian officials have threatened to abolish bilateral agreements with Israel if it goes ahead with the annexation plans, which will undermine the two-state solution.

The annexation comes as part of US President Donald Trump’s so-called Deal of the Century plan, which was announced on Jan. 28. It refers to Jerusalem as “Israel’s undivided capital” and recognizes Israeli sovereignty over large parts of the West Bank.

The plan states the establishment of a Palestinian state in the form of an archipelago connected by bridges and tunnels.

Palestinian officials say that under the US plan, Israel will annex 30-40% of the West Bank, including all of East Jerusalem.

The plan has drawn widespread criticism from the Arab world and was rejected by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which urged "all member states not to engage with this plan or to cooperate with the US administration in implementing it in any form."

* Writing by Gozde Bayar