US blames countries recognizing Palestine amid push in Israel to annex West Bank

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday blamed countries that recognized Palestine, saying the move would “create big problems,” as Israel advances plans to annex the occupied West Bank.

When asked about moves by members of the Israeli government toward annexation of the occupied West Bank, Rubio told a joint press conference with Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld in Quito, Ecuador's capital, that the US has cautioned partners that recognition of a Palestinian state would “create big problems.”

“We predicted this would happen. We warned everybody it would happen. Nonetheless, some of these people decided they wanted to move forward with something illusory,” he said, claiming that France’s and other countries’ recognition of Palestine pushed Hamas to walk away from negotiations and raise its demands.

“What you're seeing with the West Bank and the annexation, that's not a final thing. That's something that's being discussed among some elements of Israeli politics. I'm not going to opine on that today,” he added.

Rubio’s remarks came days after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Israel plans to annex 82% of the occupied West Bank to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The international community considers all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law, with the UN repeatedly warning that settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal.

It demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.