In an attempt to dissuade Israel from annexing the West Bank, a senior diplomat of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) directly addressed the Israeli public on Friday and warned of the consequences if Israel moves forward with its plan.

Israel cannot expect to normalize relations with the Arab world if it annexes land in the occupied West Bank, Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE ambassador to the United States, wrote in Israel's top newspaper.

For Israel, establishing formal relations with the Arab world has been a long-coveted goal that has yet to be achieved. So far, all the Arab countries, with Egypt and Jordan being the only exceptions, either do not recognize it as a state or technically remain at war with Israel. But progress has been made by the Israeli government. 

Some Israeli officials have dismissed the notion that applying sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank would slow a discreet opening between Israel and Arab countries – particularly with Gulf states. 

Regular off-the-radar cooperation, occasional back and forth olive branches, and a shared perception of Iran as the regional enemy have been most characteristic of the relations between Israel and the Gulf States. In May, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad made the first known flight by a UAE carrier to Israel, carrying coronavirus aid for the Palestinians.

"All the progress that you've seen and the attitudes that have been changing towards Israel, people becoming more accepting of Israel and less hostile to Israel, all of that could be undermined by a decision to annex," Al Otaiba said in a video that accompanied the article online.

"Annexation will certainly and immediately upend Israeli aspirations for improved security, economic and cultural ties with the Arab world and with UAE," he wrote in an op-ed in Israel's best-selling daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, published in Hebrew.

While Al Otaiba admits that the approach he took to reach out to the Israeli public is a controversial one, he thinks "speaking directly to an audience" will assure the message gets across to them. He said that late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat's 1977 visit to Jerusalem was what propelled him to take this approach. 

Al Otaiba specifically highlighted the consequences that Jordan would face should Israel go ahead with its annexation scheme. "It will send shockwaves around the region, especially in Jordan whose stability – often taken for granted – benefits the entire region, particularly Israel ... There could be unrest. A decision like this could have as much impact on Jordan as Palestine and Ramallah."

Jordan has, over the years, played an important part in maintaining peace in the West Bank. It hosts more than two million Palestinian refugees, and a significant proportion of the country's population are originally Palestinians. King Abdullah warned in May that he is "considering all options" if Israel annexes lands in the West Bank.

The Israeli government intends to begin debating annexation on July 1. While the move was arguably endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East plan, Israeli news outlets reported last week that the White House had been trying to halt Israel's move to annex the territories.

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How feasible is Netanyahu's July plan to annex parts of the West Bank?

Other Arab countries have also vehemently rejected Israel's plan, echoing what Al Otaiba said that it could bring substantial setbacks to the peace process.

European countries have expressed concerns over the move. France is most resolute among them and has reportedly urged its European Union partners to consider threatening Israel with a tough response.

Germany, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority have jointly stated it would be their priority to prevent Israel from carrying out the annexation.