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Islamic Group to Discuss Netanyahu's West Bank Annexation Plans

VOA News

   The Organization of Islamic Cooperation will hold an emergency meeting
   Sunday to discuss Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intent to
   annex parts of the West Bank.
   The 57-member organization tweetedearlier this weekthat the meeting
   would be held "at the request of Saudi Arabia" in Jeddah.
   On Saturday, Turkey'sForeignMinistry said the OIC would meet to discuss
   "Netanyahu's statements on the intention to annex Jordan Valley and the
   illegal settlements in the West Bank by Israel."

   Jordan Valley,northern Dead Sea
   Netanyahu said Tuesdaythat he plannedto annex part of the occupied West
   Bank if he wonre-election next week, a move that could significantly
   alter the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
   Netanyahu said in a live televised addressthatheintendedto "apply
   Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea," a
   strategically important area, if hewonon Sept.17.
   Palestinian Liberation Organization executive committee member
   HananAshrawitweeted that annexation would destroy any chance of
   reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord:
   "Netanyahu's cheap pandering to his extremist racist base exposes his
   real political agenda of superimposing 'greater Israel' on all of
   historical Palestine &carrying out an ethnic cleansing agenda. All bets
   are off! Dangerous aggression. Perpetual conflict."

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