Israel’s Netanyahu Vows to Annex West Bank Settlements if Re-Elected Tuesday
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has upped the stakes in the run-up to a critical election Tuesday, vowing to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank if he is re-elected to a fourth consecutive term . Netanyahu laid out the position that could very well mark the end to a two-state solution with the Palestinians as he continues to struggle to get right-wing voters excited about the election.
Netanyahu made the announcement during an interview on Israeli TV when a reporter asked why he had not extended Israeli sovereignty to the large settlements in the West Bank. “You are asking whether we are moving on to the next stage—the answer is yes, we will move to the next phase to extend Israeli sovereignty,” he said. “I will impose sovereignty, but I will not distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements.” Netanyahu went on to say that the government has “a responsibility” for the Israelis who live there. “I won’t uproot anyone and I won’t place them under Palestinian sovereignty. I’ll look out for everyone,” he said. Some 2.8 million Palestinians and 400,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank .
Netanyahu’s last-minute election promise is just the latest reflection of how the vote on Tuesday has really become a referendum on the prime minister . If he wins, he will become the longest-serving Israeli prime minister but a loss would likely mark the end of his career. For now, the race is too close to call as Netanyahu battles for the top spot against Benny Gantz of the new Blue and White party.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki basted Netanyahu for his electoral promise. “If Netanyahu wants to declare Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, then you know he has to face a real problem, the presence of 4.5 million Palestinians, what to do with them,” Malki told the Associated Press . The number of Palestinians Malki cited appeared to refer to the total Palestinian population of the occupied West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
Malki also accused the United States of encouraging the prime minister by recognizing both Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights. The Guardian’s Simon Tisdall also notes that President Donald Trump likely played some sort of role in the decision. “His personal inclinations aside, it is unlikely Netanyahu would have floated so potentially disruptive an idea without a nod and a wink from Donald Trump,” Tisdall writes . “In the past, when Netanyahu claimed to have US backing for annexing West Bank territory containing the major Israeli settlement blocs, the White House publicly disavowed him.”
The Los Angeles Times editorial board notes that it “is hard to overstate how terrible a proposal this is,” adding that if Netanyahu does win re-election “the best that can be hoped for is that he won’t keep this dangerous and irresponsible campaign promise.” Even if he doesn’t go through with it though, “the very idea of annexation will rouse new Palestinian fury, as well as international condemnation,” writes the BBC’s Sebastian Usher .
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I'm expecting Trump to propose a "one state solution" in Israel/West Bank any minute now.
Why? Bibi isn't proposing one. He won't either, as a one state solution would be the end to Jewish rule- unless they intended to turn the Palestinians into second class citizens and create a truly apartheid state.
This is a campaign gimmick to save his career.
The Palestinians start another intifada and it will strengthen his position, and possibly allow him to win re-election.
The right wing is flexing its power in the World.
In Israel, as in America, await the 'border crises' to flame.
If American Jews voted in this Israeli elections Netanyahu would lose badly...
He and his wife under indictment on corruption charges Bibi is running behind.
The rightwing Likud Party has maintained power by siding with the farther right
But they don't, so no point saying IF.
False. Many American Jews hold dual citizenship with Israel. They can vote and do vote.
That is bullshit someone must have spoonfed you, and you must not have bothered to look it up for yourself.
Per Wikipedia, that number is actually complex (not literally):
between 53,000 and 75,000 in 2000 (not sure why that is a range). Those are US citizens who lived in Israel, got the citizenship and then returned to the US and currently live in the US.
about 140,000 who were born in Israel and immigrated to the US.
That’s, more or less, 200,000[1].
Footnotes
[1] Israeli Americans - Wikipedia
Why do you just make this crap up?
Do you really think significant numbers of Americans holding dual citizenship in Israel actually fly to Israel just to vote?
LOL!
I can't believe you got 3 people fooled!
If they are dual citizens (US/Israel) they can vote in Israeli elections, but they cannot vote by absentee ballot. That is something that Israel doesn't allow, you must be present in Israel to cast your ballot.
Yes, I know this, which is why I posted #3.1.3
Which is why it is just ludicrous to even suggest that "many" US citizens are voting in Israeli elections.
Yes, I saw that. I guess what is the definition of many. I have two friends that are doing just that currently.
I have no idea how many do that. It would be interesting to see if there is an actual figure on it. I do know that some in Israel are trying to change that law so dual citizens can vote from anywhere in the world.
See post 3.1.2
I think it is safe to assume that NOT very many Americans are actually flying over to vote. Especially when the number of people holding dual citizenship with the US and Israel is relatively small.
The population of Israel is 6.5 million (Jews only) and around 300,000 hold dual citizenship. About 5%..Not an insignificance number.
I'll agree that I don't believe that tens of thousands are returning to vote. But a change in the law could bring about a whole different situation for Israel.
Interesting that there seem to be an exodus of Jews from Israel to the US.
I truly doubt that - your statement is just bullshit unless you can back it up with legitimate statistics. If some do, and that is possible, the numbers would be negligible, and I'm not so sure Israel allows absentee ballots anyway.
Israel does not allow absentee ballots for ordinary citizens.
I think someone heard something from a friend of a friend of a friend and ran headlong into a wall with it.
That might be the key sentence right there. A couple of the ex's relatives from the NYC area used to go and vote.
Really, no idea of the overall numbers.
That is akin to saying that if Mexicans could vote in US elections, we would have open borders.
If Mexicans, British, French, German, Japanese or anybody holding dual citizenship, are legal citizens and have the benefit of citizenship in both countries, including the vote.
Why not just admit that you WAY overstepped with "Many American Jews hold dual citizenship with Israel. They can vote and do vote."
I have already proven that to be nothing but a crock of crap.
It's okay, Tex, [deleted]
Too true!
Yes, in fact it's SO true it's not permitted to be seen.
The topic is not how many American Jews vote in Israeli elections.
Sorry, since you said nothing in response to post 3 and 3.1.1, I figured it was fair game.
And technically, the headline does say something about Israeli elections.
Just so you know that false news creates false impressions, Netanyahu did NOT say he would annex the West Bank. He said he would annex the settlements, and they are located in Judea and Samaria, and the settlements do not comprise ALL of Judea and Samaria. As it happens, through historical fact, treaties, conventions, mandates, etc. Judea and Samaria belong to Israel anyway - recaptured in a defensive war as well. Even two NT members have traced through the history and come up with that truth - Both Bob Nelson in his 4-part series that was posted on Newsvine and at my request on NT as well, and kpr37 has also established it. Of course they are right, and here is the history:
There is a strong propaganda machine feeding the western media and the western media laps it up.
As if the Middle East is not ablaze already, this would be like dropping a 55 gallon drum of gasoline on a bonfire. Let us hope it is only an election ploy.
It's no surprise to me how effective media bias and Palestinian propaganda is when I see some of the comments of NT members. It's very "progressive", isn't it, to ignore actual factual truth about Israel's right to annex Judea and Samaria, as I have posted above. And to those who have called Netanyahu a "warmonger", please tell me what war he has started.