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WORLD NEWS Monday 10 February 2020
U.S. ambassador to Israel warns against West Bank annexation

JERUSALEM (AP) — The U.S. joint Israeli-American com- low Israel to annex all of its
ambassador to Israel has mittee." settlements along with the
cautioned Israel against "Any unilateral action in strategic Jordan Valley. It
"unilateral action" in annex- advance of the comple- would give the Palestinians
ing West Bank settlements, tion of the committee pro- limited autonomy in several
warning that such a move cess endangers the Plan & chunks of territory with a
could endanger the Trump American recognition," he capital on the outskirts of
administration's recently said. Jerusalem, but only if they
unveiled Mideast plan. Last month, senior Trump meet stringent conditions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benja- aide Jared Kushner said While Prime Minister Netan-
min Netanyahu had initially days after the plan's an- yahu welcomed the plan
sought to move quickly to nouncement that the ad- as a "historic national mis-
annex large swathes of the ministration would not sup- sion," the Palestinians have
West Bank containing Jew- port Israel taking any unilat- adamantly rejected it.
ish settlements, following eral steps to annex parts of In the face of U.S. criticism,
the U.S. plan's announce- the West Bank before the Netanyahu has walked In this March 26, 2019 file photo, United States Ambassador to
ment on Jan. 28. Netan- country's March 2 parlia- back his calls for immedi- Israel David Friedman speaks at the 2019 American Israel Public
yahu called for his Cabinet mentary elections. ate annexation of the West Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference, at Washington
to vote on such a measure, The Palestinians seek the Bank. Addressing support- Convention Center, in Washington.
only to call it off a day lat- West Bank, Gaza Strip and ers on Saturday, Netan- Associated Press
er. The move would have east Jerusalem — areas yahu said mapping of the this since '67 and people Friedman said that "the
risked provoking a harsh captured by Israel in the region was underway, and are making a big deal over president put out a plan
backlash from the Palestin- 1967 Mideast war — for an rebuffed criticism from his a few weeks," Netanyahu for the next hundred years,
ians and the international independent state. nationalist allies over drag- said. not the next 30 days," allud-
community. Most of the international ging his feet. Speaking at a conference ing to the upcoming Israeli
U.S. Ambassador David community views Israel's "We have been waiting for in Jerusalem on Sunday, elections on March 2.q
Friedman wrote Sunday east Jerusalem and West
on Twitter that "the appli- Bank settlements — now
cation of Israeli law to the home to some 700,000 Is-
territory which the Plan pro- raelis — as illegal. The Pal-
vides to be part of Israel is estinians consider them a
subject to the completion major obstacle to peace.
of a mapping process by a The Trump plan would al-
U.S. says 2 soldiers killed, 6

wounded in Afghanistan attack

By RAHIM FAIEZ and
KATHY GANNON
Associated Press
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)
— Two U.S. soldiers were
killed and six wounded
in a so-called insider at-
tack in eastern Afghani-
stan’s Nangarhar prov-
ince late Saturday when In this Aug. 19, 2019, file
an Afghan dressed in photo, a man waves
an Afghan army uniform an Afghan flag during
opened fire, the U.S. mili- Independence Day
tary said. Afghanistan’s celebrations in Kabul,
Afghanistan.
defense ministry said one Associated Press
Afghan soldier was also
killed and three injured members have been
in the assault. A member killed in Afghanistan since
of Nangarhar’s provincial the start of 2020, includ-
council, Ajmal Omer, told ing Saturday’s casualties.
The Associated Press that Last year, 22 U.S. service
the gunman was killed. personnel died in com-
Neither the U.S. military bat there.
nor the Afghan defense An Afghan defense min-
ministry have confirmed istry official, who was not
the attacker’s fate. identified because he
The U.S. Department of was not authorized to
Defense released later speak to the media, said
in the day the names of the shooter was an Af-
the dead American sol- ghan soldier who had ar-
diers. They are Sgt. Javier gued with the U.S. forces
Jaguar Gutierrez, 28; and before opening fire. He
Sgt. Antonio Rey Rodri- was not a Taliban infiltra-
guez, 28. Six U.S. service tor, the official said. q