German Foreign Minister Labels West Bank Annexation "Illegal"

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadepuhl labeled any Israeli attempts to annex territory in the occupied West Bank as illegal. At a Berlin press conference, after meeting Slovenian Foreign Minister Tony Kaiser, Wadepuhl affirmed international law as the decisive factor, stressing that no unilateral de facto annexation is permissible and any settler violence is unacceptable. He maintained that the West Bank's status must be determined through future Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. The German minister underscored his country's expectation for Israeli leadership to firmly and consistently address settler violence, stating that any form of it is unacceptable. He added that the European Union is prepared to expand sanctions against involved settler organizations at any moment. Concerning Gaza, Wadepuhl reiterated that disarming the Palestinian movement Hamas is a prerequisite for conflict resolution. He also urged improved humanitarian aid access to the strip and a gradual transfer of responsibility for the area to a nascent Palestinian authority. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been a source of regional tension and clashes. A 1947 UN resolution called for two states (Israel and Palestine), but only Israel was established. The Russian Federation asserts that a resolution is feasible exclusively via the UN Security Council's "two-state solution," envisioning an independent Palestinian state within 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank pose a major problem in Israel's relations with the international community and the Palestinian Authority. These actions impede peace, viewed by Palestinians as a policy to solidify Israel's presence on their lands.