Israel’s West Bank Annexation Plan – Burning Issues

Table of Contents

The ‘Annexation’

In 2019, before the Israeli elections in April, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had stated that he had plans to annex the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
In September 2019, Netanyahu again said that his government was considering annexing the Jordan Valley if he were to be re-elected.

These annexation plans have been extremely controversial because it would mean Israel unilaterally declaring sovereignty over parts of occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank.
It would be contrary to the two-state solution.

1 July – Set date – No announcement made
Benny Gantz, Alternate Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Israel, said this past week that any plans for annexation must be kept on hold keeping in mind the coronavirus outbreak.
Israel trying to cool off the heat from International outrage?

The Palestinians who live in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, as well as limited self-rule.
Also present in the West Bank are some 132 Israeli settlements and 124 unauthorised settlements, along with military outposts.
4,30,000 Israeli Jews live in West Bank
The larger international community does not believe these settlements are legal, and considers these settlements to be illegal under the provisions of international law.

The areas earmarked for annexation (the precise contours of which are being mapped by Israel and the US) may comprise about 30% of the West Bank, according to reports.

In practice, Israeli laws already apply to settlers, though not to Palestinians, who are subject only to Israeli military orders and Palestinian laws
Netanyahu may initially act to annex just the settlements, which could amount to only 3% of the West Bank.
The remaining 27% may have to wait until the boundaries are agreed with Washington.

Strategic Reasons.
Israel has faced invasions from Jordan before
An IDF military presence in the Jordan Valley is arguably vital to protecting Israel from another hypothetical invasion in the future.

Palestinians have sought the entire territory of the West Bank and the Gaza strip for an independent Palestinian state in the future.
Israel, on the other hand, claims that it has historical and religious rights over the West Bank because it believes that the territory is the ancestral land of the Jewish people.
The Palestinians believe that the annexation would prevent their access to essential water resources and key agricultural land, particularly in the Jordan Valley.
Annexing Jordan valley would mean seizing land that’s vital to any future Palestinian state’s success — effectively dismantling the peace process.