Netanyahu hints at possible annexations in West Bank

By Raphael Ahren, TOI

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday hinted at the possibility of an Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank.

“There’s all sorts of unilateral moves and sorts of directions. Wait and see. And they’re not necessarily in the direction that people think,” he said, refusing to elaborate.

Netanyahu first raised the notion of unilateral steps last week, when asked about his plans to prevent Israel from becoming a binational state should a two-state agreement with the Palestinians continue to prove elusive. “Unilateralism… I supposed that’s possible too, but it would have to meet Israeli security criteria and that would also require broader international understanding than exists,” he said at an event in Washington. Later, his aides clarified that he was referring to unilateral steps to improve Israel’s position on the ground — not, as initially reported, possible unilateral withdrawals in the West Bank.

November 18, 2015 | 9 Comments »

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9 Comments / 9 Comments

  1. Of course lands in the West Bank must be annexed. Parts of Gaza need to be plowed back, too. At this stage, delay means defeat.

  2. @ bernard ross:
    And after the “labeling” stunt sales have spiked even more.
    Some factories are already on three overlapping shifts to keep up, all over Eretz Israel.
    A yarn,
    We buy dry wafers called Patit of course made in Israel.
    The type we like is for some reason called Swedish style Patit.
    The shelves were packed with that and none sold. We bought onion flavored Patit.
    Peanut butter. No buying of imported brands, we bought two half a pound containers of peanut butter made in Samaria.

  3. Abbas Admits For the First Time That He Turned Down Peace Offer in 2008

    the settlement blocks that Israel would retain: The Ariel bloc, the Jerusalem-Maaleh Adumim bloc (including E1), and Gush Etzion. A total of 6.3% of the West Bank. Then Abbas also drew the territories that Israel proposed to offer in their place: In the area of Afula-Tirat Zvi, in the Lachish area, the area close to Har Adar, and in the Judean desert and the Gaza envelope. A total of 5.8% of the West Bank. Abu Mazen wrote on the left side of the letterhead the numbers as he incorrectly remembered them (6.8% and 5.5%), and on the back he wrote the rest of the details of the proposal: Safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank via a tunnel, the pentilateral committee to administer the Holy Basin, the removal of the Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley and the absorption of 5,000 Palestinian refugees, 1,000 each year over five years, inside the Green Line.

    Olmert,…..offered the 1967 borders, but said: “We will take 6.5% of the West Bank, and give in return 5.8% from the 1948 lands, and the 0.7% will constitute the safe passage, and East Jerusalem will be the capital, but there is a problem with the Haram and with what they called the Holy Basin.” Abu Mazen too answered with defiance, saying: “I am not in a marketplace or a bazaar.
    http://www.thetower.org/2580-breaking-abbas-admits-for-the-first-time-that-he-turned-down-peace-offer-in-2008/

    BB is also in the bazaar. Looking at this makes all our discussions here absurd becuase other than maintaining a military presence the left and right appear at the same place. There appears only a minority of Israel to keep even area C. Israel beleives the pal own the land because they are giving swaps. BB is also not averse to swaps. Its hard to beleive that Israel ever won any of the wars. As long as the pals promise not to kill the Jews Israel will give it all back. If not BB now his status quo will have the left give it all away.

  4. here is another with the same MO

    Israel said to mull downgrading ties with Europeans over labeling
    http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-said-mulling-downgrading-ties-with-europeans-over-labeling/

    we have had lots of “mulling” annoncements through the years, but I cant remember a single one being implemented or lasting more than a few weeks, which is what I expect here.

    Envoys from 16 countries may be reprimanded, and meetings limited to low-tier diplomats; expertise-sharing on fighting terror could be cut

    the keywords are always “may be” or “could be”. didnt he just promise france and europe MORE cooperation against terror?

    ….ban European dignitaries from entering the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, …….
    ….more stringently monitor EU support of projects in the West Bank or in Gaza. …..
    ….. you cannot take steps against us and hope that everything will be business as usual,” the unnamed official said. “Whoever has taken hostile actions against us will pay a price.”…..

    years of this in the pipeline… and now we have “mulling”. It’s surprising how many non actions can appear to be action. Lets see how long this lasts before dying the usual death… like the tax withholding dramas.

  5. Netanyahu hints……

    😛 😛 😛

    first, we get “hints”…..
    then we get “mulls”….
    then we get “announcements” of a policy…
    then we get announcements of implementation approval….
    then we get marketing approval…………
    then we get announcements of implementation…..
    by the time the smoke clears everyone forgot and we can return to the first annuncement to start again……
    meantime with each hint, mulls, announcement, approval, credit and votes are garnered and beleivers fears are eased……
    its amazing how one non implemented action can get so much positive mileage for a politician
    its like this saga which begun with annnouncements in 2010 and has been re-announced at various stages of its NON implementation….. building.
    https://www.israpundit.org/archives/63610911

  6. Bibi has now stated he will not make any unilateral withdrawals and that such rumors where false and without basis.

    Later, his aides clarified that he was referring to unilateral steps to improve Israel’s position on the ground — not, as initially reported, possible unilateral withdrawals in the West Bank.

  7. Unilateral sounds good. IF and only IF it is to re assume control of our Judea and Samaria lands. Any hint of retreat in any fashion as trade off will certainly be seen by Islam as a victory, no matter what we believe we gain by retaking land…