JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a deeplycontroversial pledge on Tuesday to annex the Jordan Valley in the occupiedWest Bank if re-elected in September 17 polls.
Palestinians immediately reacted by saying Netanyahu was destroying anyhopes for peace, while his electoral opponents accused him of a cynicalplay for right-wing nationalist votes with polls only a week away.
In his televised speech, the prime minister also reiterated his intentionto annex Israeli settlements in the wider West Bank if re-elected.
But he said he would do that in coordination with US President DonaldTrump, whose long-awaited peace plan is expected to be unveiled sometimeafter the vote.
Those moves could effectively kill any remaining hopes for a two-statesolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, long the focus ofinternational diplomacy.
“There is one place where we can apply Israeli sovereignty immediatelyafter the elections,” Netanyahu said during the address that included a mapof the Jordan Valley on an easel next to him.
“If I receive from you, citizens of Israel, a clear mandate to do so […]today I announce my intention to apply with the formation of the nextgovernment Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and northern DeadSea.”
Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said Netanyahu was “not onlydestroying the two-state solution, he is destroying all chances of peace”.
She called it “worse than apartheid”.’Great opportunity’
Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said the annexation would be”manifestly illegal” and called on the international community to act.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned the move would “push thewhole region towards violence” and risks “killing off the entire peaceprocess”.
In Turkey, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu slammed Netanyahu’s pledge as”racist”.
“The election promise of Netanyahu, who is giving all kind of illegal,unlawful and aggressive messages before the election, is a racist apartheidstate,” Cavusoglu wrote on his official Twitter account in both English andTurkish.
Saudi Arabia condemned it as a “dangerous escalation against thePalestinian people” and called for an emergency meeting of foreignministers from the 57 member states of the Organisation of IslamicCooperation (OIC), the official *Saudi Press Agency* said, citing the royalcourt.
The Jordan Valley accounts for around one-third of the West Bank andIsraeli right-wing politicians have long viewed the strategic area as apart of the territory they would never retreat from, seeing it as thecountry’s eastern border.
Israeli settlements are located in what is known as Area C of the WestBank, which accounts for some 60 per cent of the territory, including thevast majority of the Jordan Valley.
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Netanyahu said his annexation plans would not include Palestinian cities,such as the Jordan Valley’s Jericho, though it would be encircled byIsraeli territory.
The premier said Trump’s peace parameters “will place before us a greatchallenge and also a great opportunity”.
“This is a historic, one-time opportunity to apply Israeli sovereignty onour settlements […] and other places of importance to our security, ourheritage and our future.”
Trump has thrown US support overwhelmingly in favour of Israel since takingoffice, including by recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and cuttinghundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians.
Ahead of April elections, Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty over theoccupied Golan Heights, seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.’Empty promise’
Netanyahu along with his right-wing and religious allies won a majority ofseats in April polls, but he failed to form a coalition and opted for anunprecedented second election in five months.
He is again facing a difficult challenge from ex-military chief Benny Gantzand his centrist Blue and White alliance.
Gantz, who has in the past spoken of keeping the Jordan Valley underIsrael’s control forever, said: “I have no doubt that this will be yetanother empty promise because there is nothing behind it”.
Right-wing nationalist votes will be key to Netanyahu’s efforts to continuehis reign as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.
“We understand that the prime minister has said that (annexation) is thecarrot of Trump’s plan, the question that remains is what is the stick,what will we have to give?” asked former justice minister Ayelet Shaked,who heads a union of far-right parties.
Netanyahu is also facing a potential indictment for corruption pending ahearing scheduled for early October.
Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War in a move neverrecognised by the international community.
Its settlements there are considered illegal under international law andmajor stumbling blocks to peace as they are built on land the Palestiniansee as part of their future state.
Israel says the Jordan Valley is vital to its security. -APP/AFP
