Hours ago, the United States announced that it is ready to recognize the annexation by Israel of large parts of the occupied West Bank, while calling for the next Israeli government to negotiate with the Palestinians.
“As we have made consistently clear, we are prepared to recognize Israeli actions to extend Israeli sovereignty and the application of Israeli law to areas of the West Bank that the vision foresees as being part of the State of Israel,” a US State Department spokesperson said when asked if the US would allow Israel’s new government to move forward with the process.
The step would be “in the context of the Government of Israel agreeing to negotiate with the Palestinians along the lines set forth in President Trump’s Vision,” the spokesperson told The Times of Israel.
In late January, US President Trump revealed his "vision" for peace in the Middle East in which he gave the Hebrew state the green light to annex the Jordan Valley - the strategic area that makes up 30% of the West Bank area - and the settlements built in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem that have become, according to US administration, an integral part of the united capital of Israel.
Concerns grew over the possibility of the Jewish state annexing parts of Palestinian lands after the agreement reached by the outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former opponent Benny Gantz to form a "unity and emergency" government.
Netanyahu faces pressure to quickly annex these areas before the November 3rd US elections, which could result in Trump's departure from power and the loss of the Hebrew state's most prominent, and powerful, supporter in the world.
Mean while, the Arab League plans to hold an urgent virtual meeting this week to galvanize opposition to the annexation plan, and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reportedly approached counterparts in a number of countries including Russia, Germany, Egypt, Japan, Sweden and Norway to oppose the outline.
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