Hezbollah Blames Gulf For Netanyahu Annexation Threat

Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah organisation on Wednesday blamed Gulf countries for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's shock election pledge to annex the West Bank's Jordan Valley

Beirut, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Sep, 2019 ):Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah organisation on Wednesday blamed Gulf countries for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's shock election pledge to annex the West Bank's Jordan Valley.

The Shiite paramilitary group, which earlier this month exchanged cross-border fire with the Israel army, argued that steps towards closer Gulf-Israeli ties were emboldening Netanyahu against the Palestinians.

"Measures toward normalisation and Gulf attempts to foster alliances with the enemy have created an opportunity to chip away at more Arab lands," Hezbollah said in a statement.

Netanyahu, who is campaigning for September 17 elections, said on Tuesday that if re-elected, he would annex the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea.

Both are in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.

Gulf countries condemned Netanyahu's pledge, but Hezbollah argued that recent contacts between Israel and some of the US-allied, oil-rich monarchies had encouraged Netanyahu to take a more aggressive stance.