The United Arab Emirates may downgrade its diplomatic ties with Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government annexes part or all of the West Bank, but it is not weighing the option of severing the relationship completely, three sources briefed on the Gulf Arab state’s deliberations told Reuters Thursday.

This is despite Emirati foreign ministry official Lana Nusseibeh telling The Times of Israel on September 3 that any annexation would be a “red line,” jeopardize the Abraham Accords, and end the pursuit of regional integration.

But on Thursday evening, the Ynet news outlet cited unnamed Gulf officials who pushed back on the report.

“If Israel carries out annexation, any annexation, all options are on the table…including the most severe ones,” the sources were quoted as saying, referring to the possibility of severing ties with Israel.

The sources stressed that any form of annexation would be a red line as far as Abu Dhabi was concerned, and would pose an “immediate” danger to the future of Israel-UAE relations.

The UAE is one of just a few Arab states with diplomatic relations with Israel and downgrading ties would be a major setback for the Abraham Accords — a signature foreign policy achievement of US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu.

Israel’s government has recently taken steps that could presage annexation of the West Bank, which was captured along with East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Six Day War. The United Nations and most countries oppose such a move.

For Netanyahu, whose coalition relies on right-wing nationalist parties, annexation could be seen as a valuable vote-winner before an election expected next year.

Abu Dhabi warned Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition this month that any annexation of the West Bank would be a “red line” for the Gulf state, but did not........

© The Times of Israel