19th May 2018 On the Dam in Amsterdam protesters gather for a march through the city to the American embassy on Museumplein to demonstrate against the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. Photo via: Picfair
Palestinian activists and refugees have joined a vigil held in Amsterdam to protest Israel’s plan to annex larger swaths of occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank.
The demonstrators yelled slogans and lifted banners condemning the “unilateral move” and calling on the international community to take a firm stance in response.
Earlier this month, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, expressed concerns about the Israeli annexation plan.
Netanyahu has repeatedly said in recent weeks that Israel will annex approximately 30 per cent of the West Bank with measures coming into place from 1 July.
The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is seen as occupied territory under international law, thus making all Jewish settlements there -- as well as the planned annexation -- illegal.
Palestinian officials have threatened to abolish bilateral agreements with Israel if it goes ahead with the annexation, which would further undermine the two-state solution.
The annexation comes as part of US President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century," which 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 states the establishment of a Palestinian state in the form of an archipelago connected through bridges and tunnels.