Israel threatens to annex parts of West Bank

The Israeli government has threatened to annex parts of the occupied West Bank in retaliation for renewed Palestinian action to join 15 UN agencies and international treaties. "If they are now threatening (to go to UN institutions), they must know something simple: they will pay a heavy price," Israeli Tourism Minister Uzi Landau said. One of the possible measures will be Israel applying sovereignty over areas which will clearly be part of the State of Israel in any future solution," said Landau, a member of the hardline Yisrael Beitenu faction. Israel could also hurt the Palestinians economically by acting "to block financial aid to them," the minister added. Israel refused to free a fourth and final group of 26 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in accordance with an agreement between the two sides. Source: QNA