UAE warns West Bank settlement plans 'red line' for Abu Dhabi

Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reiterated that the UAE's stance on the annexation of Palestinian territories is clear, affirming its commitment to the two-state solution as a means of achieving peace in the region.

He stated through the X platform, "In these challenging times, UAE sends clear message: annexation is a red line & peace through two state solution must remain path forward."

Gargash highlighted a headline in the Times of Israel newspaper, which read, "UAE warns Israel: Annexing West Bank is a ‘red line' that would 'end regional integration.'

A photo of the 2020 signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords at the White House in Washington, D.C. was attached to the tweet by Gargash.

The UAE warned Israel that any annexation of the West Bank would constitute a red line for Abu Dhabi that would severely undermine the spirit of the Abraham Accords that normalised relations between the two countries.

"From the very beginning, we viewed the Accords as a way to enable our continued support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspiration for an independent state," Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, told reporters.

"That was our position in 2020, and it remains our position today."

The comments marked the UAE's strongest criticism of Israel's conduct since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.

In August, Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that work would start on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, a move his office said would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state.