UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations and the Arab League joined in calling Wednesday for Israel to abandon its plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

The calls were made during a UN Security Council video conference in which several government ministers participated.

It was the last international meeting before Israel goes ahead with the plans as early as July 1. “I call on the Israeli government to abandon its annexation plans,” said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He reiterated the longstanding goal of a two-state solution with an independent, contiguous, sovereign and viable Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.—AFP