The scale of West Bank annexations that PM Binyamin Netanyahu pledged to announce on July 1 remains up in the air. So does the date. Working with him all week in search of an agreed formula were US President Donald Trump’s emissaries, special envoy Avi Berkowitz and Ambassador David Friedman. They were joined on Tuesday, July 30, by Brian Hook, US Special Representative on Iran and Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State – just back from a mission to Gulf capitals.
DEBKAfile’s political sources reveal. On the table between the American team and the prime minister is essentially a US package deal in partnership with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia: Netanyahu would hold off on his decision to extend Israeli sovereignty to 30pc of the West Bank – as set out in the Trump Mid-East Peace Plan. His reward would be a direct meeting with senior Gulf officials – albeit formally, with a non-political agenda, such as cooperation in the fight against coronavirus. Given Hook’s senior rank and influence, the deal no doubt covers wider common areas of interest to all the parties concerned, such as Iran.
Alternate PM Benny Gantz knew that delay was on the cards when he said on Monday, June 29, that the July 1 date was “not holy.” However, he tried explaining this by maintaining that “any issues unrelated to coronavirus must wait.” On Tuesday, he declared: “A million jobless don’t care about annexation.”
Alternate PM Benny Gantz knew that delay was on the cards when he said on Monday, June 29, that the July 1 date was “not holy.” However, he tried explaining this by maintaining that “any issues unrelated to coronavirus must wait.” On Tuesday, he declared: “A million jobless don’t care about annexation.”
Netanyahu, who has taken to snubbing his coalition partner, used a meeting with his Likud faction to shoot back: “The issue is not up to Kahol Lavan [Gantz’s party]. They are not a factor either way. We have a good dialogue going with the American team here in Israel. We are doing this discreetly. When there is something to announce, we will do so.” The PM went on to say: “We are engaged in a complicated process with political and security ramifications. I am not able to disclose details at this time,” he said, adding: “We said it will happen from July 1.” Therefore, “from” that date, but not necessarily “on it.” That is one indicator that Netanyahu is testing other options.
The new package deal brought to Jerusalem by Brian Hook on Tuesday, is one issue to be determined in the 48 hours remaining until July 1. Another arises from the mission Netanyahu assigned to Mossad Director Yossie Cohen who visitedd Amman last week to allay the fears of another US ally, Jordan. Our sources report that Cohen put before King Abdullah the PM’s offer to drop the Jordan Valley from the sovereignty plan for now and limit it to the two or three settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria that were closest to the Green Line border with Israel. Are the blanks in Netanyahu’s annexation plan being filled in? Or will he prefer postponement? READ MORE
