Israel Considers West Bank Annexation in Response to Plans of Recognizing Palestine
Israeli officials reported that Israel is mulling the annexation of the West Bank as a possible response to France and other countries recognizing a Palestinian state, according to Reuters.
This move was on the agenda for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security Cabinet meeting late on Sunday, which was set to discuss Gaza war.
It remains unclear when and where such a measure might be applied — whether across all or some Israeli settlements, or in specific parts of the West Bank, such as the Jordan Valley.
A spokesperson for Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar did not release any comments on whether Saar had delved into the move with his US counterpart Marco Rubio during his visit to Washington last week.
Building Jewish State
In May, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel planned to build a “Jewish Israeli state” in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Arabiya.
Katz’s remarks followed Israel’s announcement of the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank.
“This is a decisive response to the terrorist organizations that are trying to harm and weaken our hold on this land,” Katz said.
Katz also noted that the new settlements would be a clear message to French President Emmanuel Macron and his associates: they will recognize a Palestinian state on paper – but Israel will build the Jewish Israeli state here on the ground.
Burying Idea of Palestinian State
In August, Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that Israel would “bury” the idea of a Palestinian state by dividing the West Bank and cut if off from East Jerusalem.
During his visit to Maale Adumim, Smotrich revealed that both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had agreed to the revival of the E1 scheme, a long-delayed settlement.
“Whoever in the world is trying to recognize a Palestinian state today will receive our answer on the ground. Not with documents nor with decisions or statements, but with facts. Facts of houses, facts of neighborhoods,” Smotrich said.
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