Netanyahu rebuffs US State Department denial he discussed annexation Pompeo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, meeting with PM Netanyahu in Lisbon, December 4, 2019
Raoul Wootliff writes in Times of Israel, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on Sunday that he did discuss the possible annexation of the Jordan Valley and other parts of the West Bank with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a meeting they held last week, despite a denial of the claim by the US State Department a day earlier. “I want American recognition of our sovereignty in the Jordan Valley. This is important,” Netanyahu said at a conference organized by the Makor Rishon newspaper, saying that Israel has currently has a “great opportunity” to achieve it, along with securing an Israeli-US mutual defense pact.”
“It is time to apply Israeli sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and to regularize all communities in Judea and Samaria, those in the blocs and those outside them. They will be part of the State of Israel,” he vowed, using a Biblical term for the West Bank in reference to the so-called settlement blocs that many believe will be retained in any peace agreement with the Palestinians.”…
“Netanyahu in September vowed that if reelected he would immediately annex the Jordan Valley, a swath of land linking the West Bank to Jordan that Israel views as a vital security asset, in what was widely seen as a bid to attract support from right-wing voters. In recent days, Netanyahu has repeatedly called for a unity government to be formed so that Israel could take the step, as well as advancing the mutual defense pact, citing a supportive US administration.”
“His Likud party has even claimed that the premier is determined to say in office for an additional six months — a unity coalition negotiation demand — solely in order to see through the annexation of the Jordan Valley and the defense pact with the US. Days before Israel’s September 17 elections, Trump tweeted that he had spoken with Netanyahu on the phone about a potential pact and that he hoped to continue such talks after the vote. Trump tweeted that such a treaty “would further anchor the tremendous alliance between our two countries.” (more…)