Turkey rejects Israel's plan to annex West Bank

ANKARA

Turkey’s presidential spokesman called on the international community Wednesday to take a stand against Israel's plan to annex the West Bank.

"We reject Israel's plan to annex the West Bank and call for the world to take a stand against it. Occupation and annexation is a crime," Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter.

Kalin said Turkey will support all steps to be taken against the occupation and annexation of Palestinian land.

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

The plan comes as part of US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century” that 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 calls for 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.

Netanyahu on Sunday presented his unity government to the Knesset, or Israel's parliament, ending more than a year of political deadlock. Last month, he and rival-turned-partner Gantz announced they would be putting aside their differences and forming a unity government.

Under the deal, Gantz would take over from Netanyahu as prime minister on Nov. 17, 2021.