Arab foreign ministers condemned a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts of the occupied West Bank as "aggression" undermining any chances of a peace settlement with the Palestinians.

Arab foreign ministers condemned a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts of the occupied West Bank as "aggression" undermining any chances of a peace settlement with the Palestinians. Netanyahu said on Tuesday he planned to annex the Jordan Valley, a large swathe of the occupied West Bank, if he wins a closely contested election just a week away. Israel captured the West Bank in a 1967 war and Palestinians, who signed interim peace deals with Israel in the 1990s that include security cooperation, seek to make it part of a future state. The Arab League "considers his announcement a dangerous development and a new Israeli aggression by declaring the intention to violate the international law," Arab foreign ministers said in a statement after a meeting in Cairo. "The league regards these statements as undermining the chances of any progress in the peace process and will torpedo all its foundations," the statement said. Arab foreign ministers had been holding a meeting in Cairo, seat of the Arab League, but added an emergency session after Netanyahu made his comments on live television. Around 65,000 Palestinians and 11,000 Israeli settlers live in the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea area, according to the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem. The main Palestinian city is Jericho, with around 28 villages and smaller Bedouin communities. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Twitter called Netanyahu's plan a "serious escalation". Jordan and Egypt are the only Arab states to have peace treaties with Israel. Hanan Ashrawi, a senior official in the Palestine Liberation Organization, wrote on Twitter that the Israeli leader was out to impose a "greater Israel on all of historical Palestine and (carry) out an ethnic cleansing agenda". Fighting for his political life after an inconclusive election in April, Netanyahu also reaffirmed a pledge to annex all of the settlements Israel has established in the West Bank. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner said in early May that he hoped Israel would take a hard look at President Donald Trump's upcoming Middle East peace proposal before "proceeding with any plan" to annex West Bank settlements. Saudi Arabia condemned Netanyahu's comments and called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, state news agency SPA said. Qatar reiterated its support for a two-state peace solution.

Arab League calls Netanyahu plan to annex West Bank areas 'aggression'

&nbsp;Arab Foreign Ministers collectively denounced on Saturday President Donald Trump&#39;s acceptance of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

Ministers from across the region met in Cairo to discuss a response to Trump&#39;s announcement on Wednesday (December 6), which overturned decades of U.S. policy towards the Middle East.

Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem has infuriated the Arab world and upset Western allies, who say it is a blow to peace efforts and risks sparking more violence in the region.

Israel maintains that all of Jerusalem is its capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state.

Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in a 1967 war, to be occupied territory, and say the status of the city should be left to be decided at future Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Snub Pence

Meanwhile, it&#39;s learnt that&nbsp;Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during his visit to the region and there will be no communication between U.S. and Palestinian officials, Palestinian&nbsp;Foreign&nbsp;Minister Riyad Al-Maliki said on Saturday (December 9).

Maliki&#39;s comments were made before an&nbsp;Arab&nbsp;League meeting in Cairo to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and after Abbas said Washington could no longer be a peace broker.

Maliki added that the Palestinians will seek a U.N. Security Council resolution over Trump&#39;s decision.

Trump's recognition of Jerusalem has infuriated the Arab world and upset Western allies, who say it is a blow to peace efforts and risks sparking more violence in the region.

Arab Foreign Ministers collectively denounced on Saturday President Donald Trump's acceptance of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Ministers from across the region met in Cairo to discuss a response to Trump's announcement on Wednesday (December 6), which overturned decades of U.S. policy towards the Middle East. Trump's recognition of Jerusalem has infuriated the Arab world and upset Western allies, who say it is a blow to peace efforts and risks sparking more violence in the region. Israel maintains that all of Jerusalem is its capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state. Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in a 1967 war, to be occupied territory, and say the status of the city should be left to be decided at future Israeli-Palestinian talks. Snub Pence Meanwhile, it's learnt that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during his visit to the region and there will be no communication between U.S. and Palestinian officials, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki said on Saturday (December 9). Maliki's comments were made before an Arab League meeting in Cairo to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and after Abbas said Washington could no longer be a peace broker. Maliki added that the Palestinians will seek a U.N. Security Council resolution over Trump's decision.

Arab foreign ministers say no peace without a 'free' Jerusalem

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Arab League calls Netanyahu plan to annex West Bank areas 'aggression'

Arab foreign ministers say no peace without a 'free' Jerusalem