Israeli prime minister has not previously presented detailed vision for West Bank, seen by Palestinians as heartland of future state
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, pledged on Saturday to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank if re-elected, a dramatic policy shift apparently aimed at rallying his nationalist base in the final stretch of the tight race.
Netanyahu has promoted Jewish settlement expansion in his four terms as prime minister, but until now refrained from presenting a detailed vision for the West Bank, seen by the Palestinians as the heartland of a future state.
An Israeli annexation of large parts of the West Bank could potentially end any hope for a deal on the terms of a Palestinian state on lands Israel took over in 1967.
More recently, Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a plateau Israel captured from Syria in 1967. The move was viewed in Israel as a political gift by Trump to Netanyahu who is being challenged by former military chief Benny Gantz.
The US State Department declined to comment on Netanyahu’s statement.
Polls have indicated a close race, though Netanyahu’s Likud Party is expected to have a better chance than Gantz’s Blue and White slate to form a ruling coalition. Polls forecast more than 60 out of 120 parliament seats for the Likud and smaller right-wing and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
On Saturday, Netanyahu gave an interview to Israel’s Channel 12 TV. He portrayed the US policy shifts on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as his achievements, saying he persuaded Trump to take these steps.
Netanyahu pledged he would not dismantle a single Jewish settlement and that Israel would retain control of the territory west of the Jordan River. More than 600,000 Israelis now live on war-won lands, two-thirds in the West Bank.
“From my perspective, any point of settlement is Israeli, and we have responsibility, as the Israeli government. I will not uproot anyone, and I will not transfer sovereignty to the Palestinians.”
In any partition deal, the more isolated Jewish settlements would likely have to be uprooted to create a viable Palestinian state. Saeb Erekat, a veteran former Palestinian negotiator, said he held the international community, especially the Trump administration, responsible for Israel’s policies.
“Israel will continue to brazenly violate international law for as long as the international community will continue to reward Israel with impunity, particularly with the Trump administration’s support and endorsement of Israel’s violation of the national and human rights of the people of Palestine,” he said in a statement.
