UAE issues a warning, signaling that Israel's planned annexation of the West Bank would surpass a critical boundary.

The ongoing Israeli settlement project in the West Bank has drawn criticism from various quarters, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the European Union (EU), and Palestinian officials.

The UAE's sharpest criticism of Israel since the war in Gaza in 2023 was made in response to Israel's announcement of a settlement project in the West Bank. Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the UAE Foreign Minister, urged Israel to halt the plans, stating that extremists should not dictate the region's trajectory, and that peace requires courage, persistence, and a refusal to let violence define choices.

The Israeli minister who announced the construction of a settlement project in the West Bank, criticized by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas as undermining the two-state solution and violating international law, is Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. He announced plans for over 3,400 housing units in the E1 settlement area near Jerusalem.

The EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, echoed the UAE's sentiments, stating that Israel's new settlement plan undermines the two-state solution and is a breach of international law. Foreign ministers from the EU, UK, Australia, Canada, and others have also condemned the Israeli settlement plan, arguing that it violates international law and threatens regional stability.

Palestinian officials and rights groups argue that the Israeli settlement project in the West Bank is illegal under international law, as it fragments territory and leaves no room for peace. The Abraham Accords, brokered during Donald Trump's first term as U.S. president, brought the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco into formal diplomatic relations with Israel. However, the devastation in Gaza and the ongoing humanitarian crisis have shifted attention away from Trump's ambitions to add Saudi Arabia to the Abraham Accords framework.

Despite the criticism, Israel's prime minister's office has yet to respond to a request for comment on the UAE's remarks regarding the settlement project in the West Bank. Nusseibeh, however, emphasized that the UAE's support for the Palestinian statehood remains unchanged since the signing of the accords in 2020.

This development underscores the complexities and challenges in the Middle East peace process, as both Israel and the UAE navigate their respective positions while maintaining their formal diplomatic ties. The international community's continued criticism of Israel's settlement plans in the West Bank serves as a reminder of the need for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

UAE issues a warning, signaling that Israel's planned annexation of the West Bank would surpass a critical boundary.