British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Monday that the British government has warned Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank in retaliation for Britain and other Western countries’ recognition of Palestinian statehood.

A spokesperson for the German government, which has held off on recognizing a Palestinian state, also said in a statement that there must be no further annexation of Palestinian territories by Israel.

The statements came a day after Britain, Australia, Canada and Portugal recognized Palestinian statehood. Six more countries — France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino and Andorra — are set to announce their recognition of Palestinian statehood on Monday during a French- and Saudi-hosted United Nations summit on the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ahead of world leaders’ addresses to the UN General Assembly.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the recognitions as well as the idea of Palestinian statehood, and vowed to respond upon his return from the UN. Some government ministers are

© The Times of Israel