UAE warns Israeli annexation of Palestinian territory is a 'RED LINE'

Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, on Wednesday reaffirmed the Gulf nation's earlier stand that annexation of the West Bank is a ‘red line’ and urged against adopting a ‘maximalist view’. While speaking at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit, Anwar Gargash said that compromise is necessary, and there is a need to find a balance between Israel's security and a viable Palestinian state.

“Are we going to continue with this sort of maximalist views on how to address the Palestinian issue, for example, by the Israeli right, which has to understand that this is not going to go away?” said Gargash.

He also said that direct confrontation has not yielded any results for both Israelis and Palestinians. He also asserted that “We are very adamant about any annexation in the Palestinian territories.” He said that normalisation with Israel, “gave us leverage on the issue of annexation.”

He said that the role of the "Palestinian Authority" remains central, but added that the UAE has “sometimes been a lonely voice in the call for reform.”

While talking about the Israeli strike on Qatar, he said, “The Israeli strike in Qatar changed how we see Gulf security - Gulf security is connected.” He also commended the US efforts in the Gaza ceasefire deal and reminded that Qatar has the largest US base in the Middle East, "but concepts about Gulf security are changing.” The US remains central to stability in the Middle East.

Earlier on Wednesday, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan held a conversation with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He said that the UAE "is ready to work with all parties to maintain the ceasefire and explore new paths to reduce escalation and achieve peace"

Israeli Parliament on Wednesday moved a bill to annexe the Palestinian territories in the West Bank. The potential bill and its implementation can usher in another conflict in the region of West Asia.