(10.12.2021)
Trump also told Ravid that “Bibi did not want to make peace,” using Netanyahu’s nickname. “Never did.”
Ravid only published excerpts of his interview on Axios on Thursday, and it’s not clear from them what Trump is referring to in the “peace” comments.
The incident occurred on May 22, 2017, at a time when Trump was beginning to have doubts about Netanyahu and wondering aloud if the Israeli prime minister might be the real obstacle to peace with the Palestinians, Woodward wrote, according to excerpts from the book published by U.S. media.
The UAE and Israel wish to express their gratitude for the overwhelmingly positive response to this historic accord from governments around the world. They are especially grateful to President Donald J. Trump for his leadership and to his administration for the critical role it has played in achieving this diplomatic breakthrough. They are also greatly encouraged by the broad bipartisan support for this breakthrough from the United States Congress.
(13.08.2020)
The United Arab Emirates remains committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state and to the terms of the Arab Peace Initiative, a senior official from the Arab Gulf state told The Times of Israel on Thursday, in rare on-the-record remarks to Israeli media.
(06.08.2020)
King Abdullah II of Jordan does not really want a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria, despite his repeated opposition to the extension of Israeli sovereignty to the so-called “West Bank.”
„Israel agreed not to annex parts of the West Bank. It is more than taking it off the table – they agreed not to do it. This is a very smart concession by Israel. It is off the table now,“ Trump said during a White House briefing.
In a letter sent to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday, they wrote that doing so is essential, because “the window to deter annexation is fast closing.”
The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Haaretz, was signed by the foreign ministers of France, Italy, Holland, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Portugal and Malta.
We exchanged views on the current state of the Middle East Peace Process and its regional implications. We concur that any annexation of Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 would be a violation of international law and imperil the foundations of the peace process. We would not recognize any changes to the 1967 borders that are not agreed by both parties in the conflict.
Wir haben uns über den gegenwärtigen Stand des Nahostfriedensprozesses und seine regionalen Auswirkungen ausgetauscht. Wir sind einhellig der Auffassung, dass jede Annexion der 1967 besetzten Palästinensischen Gebiete gegen das Völkerrecht verstoßen und die Grundlagen des Friedensprozesses gefährden würde. Wir würden keinerlei Veränderung der Grenzen von 1967 anerkennen, die nicht von beiden Konfliktparteien vereinbart wurde.
Jordan, Egypt, Germany and France came out with a joint statement Tuesday warning Israel against applying its laws to a number of West Bank areas.
The statement was released by the German Foreign Ministry after a video conference held by the top diplomats from the four countries.
We believe in a Jewish and democratic Israel. We feel no obligation to defend Netanyahu’s pathological viciousness, monumentally stupid annexation, incitement and self-enrichment
In letters to senior EU officials, including foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the 15 Joint List MKs wrote that “the traditional approach based on providing incentives to Israel has thus far failed to achieve our shared legitimate positions.” According to Hadash MK Youssef Jabareen, “We requested that top EU officials act to prevent annexation including re-evaluating the EU-Israel partnership agreement, recognizing a Palestinian state according to the ’67 borders and labeling goods from the occupied Palestinian territories. Palestinians deserve independence and freedom.”
The Joint List called on Britain’s biggest political parties to vigorously oppose Israel’s plans to annex parts of the Palestinian occupied West Bank. The two letters, dated June 26 were penned by Hadash MK Yousef Jabareen, the head of the Joint List’s international relations committee, and were sent to the UK Conservative party leader, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the Labour party’s leader, Sir Keir Starmer. In the letters, the Joint List parliamentarians said the UK needed to “actively oppose” attempts by Israel to unilaterally annex territory.
“History has demonstrated the tragic consequences of illegal annexations,” the letter read. “We fear that if Britain and its European allies do not urgently act to prevent this impending annexation, our region may witness yet another major upheaval.”
(25.06.2020)
So far, the party has only verbally denounced Israel‘s plans. The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has categorically ruled out setting conditions on US aid to Israel.
In the Senate, a letter warning that annexation would „erode the strong support among the American people for the special relationship and diplomatic partnership with the United States that Israel currently enjoys“ only gained the support of 21 legislators.
In the coming months no less than five senior members of the security establishment face replacement.
They are: Yossi Cohen, head of Mossad (Israel’s foreign espionage agency); Nadav Argaman, head of the Shin Bet, (domestic security service); Major-General Tamir Hayman, chief of Military Intelligence, and its Research Directorate director, Brigadier-General Dror Shalom; and finally, Meir Ben Shabat, head of the National Security Council.
(20.06.2020)
Embattled congressman Eliot Engel, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has bragged that he sits down with the rightwing pro-Israel organization AIPAC on “every piece of legislation coming out of the Foreign Affairs Committee.”
In a 2018 speech to an AIPAC gathering in his NY district, Engel noted that he and Rep. Nita Lowey had both been in the House 30 years and were soon to assume chair positions that they could use to help Israel.
In the last three Israeli electoral campaigns, Trump worked hard to keep Bibi in office. Now it is Trump who is running for re-election. The president fully expects Bibi to reciprocate.
But loyalty and gratitude are not among Bibi’s virtues.
Joe Biden is the main reason Netanyahu is not annexing.
There are few politicians who have a keener understanding of polls than Netanyahu. He has several pollsters on his official and unofficial payroll, and keeps in touch with others. His polling brain-trust is heavily American and though they have misled at least once in the past, when he thought that Mitt Romney had a chance of denying Barack Obama a second term in 2012. He is fully aware now that Trump’s chances of winning in November are vanishing.
Netanyahu made the comments shortly after wrapping up talks with White House envoy Avi Berkowitz and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. The sides have been holding talks for several months on finalizing a map spelling out which areas of the West Bank will be annexed by Israel.
„I spoke about the question of sovereignty, which we are working on these days and we will continue to work on in the coming days,“ Netanyahu said.
He also commended the United States for the January drone strike that killed Quds force leader, „arch-terrorist“ Qasem Soleimani and warned that Israel will do everything necessary to make sure that Iran does not expand its foothold in Syria.
The comments were made during a joint press briefing with Brian Hook, US Special Representative on Iran, who visited Israel as part of his larger official Middle East trip.
How do Americans feel about the offer, and about possible Israeli annexation of West Bank territories?
To find out, we fielded a set of questions through the University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll. The poll was carried out by Nielsen Scarborough, among a nationally representative sample of 2,395 American adults, fielded March 10-20.
Notably, only 8% of respondents who were at least “somewhat familiar” with the plan …
(29.06.2020)
Why it matters: Israeli officials say Netanyahu thinks President Trump is politically vulnerable four months before the U.S. election and that he could lose to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. He thinks Trump needs the evangelical base to go to vote in order to have a chance at winning.
(23.06.2020)
The idea of Israeli sovereignty over 30% of the West Bank, including all of the settlements, is already incorporated into Trump‘s peace plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
However, Israel can do so only with approval from the US.
(23.06.2020)
“[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is entirely dependent on [President Donald] Trump for the annexation. We have no illusions that he would operate against decisions taken in the White House.” These words were told to Al-Monitor by a senior Likud minister speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Palestinian Authority dispatched a letter on Monday addressed to the Quartet on the Middle East stating that it‘s prepared to renew negotiations with Israel and agree to „minor territorial exchanges,“ according to reports by Ynet News on Monday night.
The Quartet on the Middle East, a foursome consisting of the United Nations, the US, Russia and the European Union involved in mediating the Israeli–Palestinian peace process.
Palestinian Authority to lock down all areas with confirmed cases
„We are in contact with the American team here in Israel,“ Netanyahu said at a Likud meeting. „We are doing so discretely. The issue is not up to [Gantz‘s party] Kahol Lavan. They are not a factor either way.“
Earlier on Monday, Gantz met with Trump‘s special envoy Avi Berkowitz and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman to discuss the Trump administration‘s peace plan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked evangelical supporters to lobby in favor of Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank, via a speech Sunday night to the American group the Christians United for Israel (CUFI).
The protest comes amid a wave of anti-annexation rallies throughout Israel as the government‘s July 1 annexation deadline approaches
„Annexation is illegal. Period,” Bachelet said in a statement. „I am deeply concerned that even the most minimalist form of annexation would lead to increased violence and loss of life, as walls are erected, security forces deployed and the two populations brought into closer proximity.“
Others see a cynical political gambit at play, as with the return of the coronavirus: Netanyahu is either aiming for a crisis that will allow him to call for an early election while blaming Gantz and other rivals on the left for the failure of his annexation move – or is actually banking on a crisis, foreign, domestic or both, that will allow him to seize emergency powers, delay his trial, seize control of the legal system and so on and so forth.
Meetings like this have also taken place at the Israeli consulates in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco, as well as at the Israeli embassies in Berlin, Paris, Madrid and Copenhagen.
“In each meeting we have between three to ten representatives of local Jewish groups attend, because it’s important for us to show that this isn’t a concern just among the ‘usual suspects’ of the left.
Hadash MK Aida Touma-Sliman (Joint List), who initiated the letter, said about the appeal to Congress: “The annexation and the occupation are international issues. The US administration constantly intervenes in the region and gives backing to the oppression of Palestinians. The administration can give the green light or put the brakes on annexation. Therefore, we have asked members of the Democratic Party, who might assume power soon, to express their clear objection to Israel’s annexation plans, to denounce the entire Trump plan, and to clarify that, if such plans are implemented, future administrations will not recognize their legitimacy. Annexation is illegal according to international law and is a crime against the Palestinian people. The entire international community must stand against it.”
House Democrats are currently circulating a letter opposing annexation, but its wording is based around concerns for Israel‘s security and there‘s no mention of holding the country accountable for any of its actions towards Palestinians. A letter developed by Senate Democrats earlier this year implied that the United States/Israel relationship could be threatened by annexation, but any mention of this possibility was quickly removed.
(26.06.2020)
How is it that despite the warnings of three previous Israeli prime ministers, including two IDF Chiefs of Staff and a former justice and foreign minister, that these sorts of steps towards annexation would lead to „apartheid,“ that not a single leader of a dominant Jewish organization in America can bring themselves to use the same word publicly?
How is it that in just a generation, the muscular Jewish leadership that existed in the Diaspora has been replaced by an Israeli caricature of itself: weak galus yidn, unwilling to stand up for our own beliefs, whose only role is to support our strong brethren in the Holy Land?
This isn’t how a political leader talks, and certainly not one who is interested in being an alternative to the inciter in the Prime Minister’s Office. Gantz’s contempt for the Palestinians demonstrates arrogance, pettiness and lack of understanding of the national conflict between the two peoples. If there’s any “deep shit” in which the Palestinians are drowning, it’s the 53-year-old occupation, a messianic project of oppression that has been perpetuated by successive Israeli governments and maintained by the army, formerly headed by Gantz himself.
White House senior advisor Kellyanne Conway said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump will make an „important announcement“ on the subject in the near future.
A U.N. rights investigator urged the European Union on Friday to consider measures to prevent or punish any Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, a few days after over 1,000 European lawmakers made a similar call.
(08.06.2020)
Netanyahu’s comments would mean the government would initially annex about three percent of West Bank territory, covering the 132 settlements, home to some 450,000 Israelis. The remainder of the roughly 30% that the Trump deal grants to Israel — most of which is in the Jordan Valley — would be annexed at a later period, when the joint US-Israeli mapping committee finishes determining the exact territorial divisions beyond the pre-1967 Green Line.
A senior Palestinian official in Ramallah, unnamed in the report, said that the message was sent through Jordan following the reported meeting between Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and King Abdullah II.
Even though the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands has gone on for decades, the only times that people have really erupted in opposition to Israel have been when they have lost hope.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to begin process as soon as July 1, though some of his U.S. backers have urged caution
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC, reportedly told U.S. lawmakers last week they’re “free to criticize Israel’s looming annexation plans — just as long as the criticism stops there.”
Engel is liberal on most domestic issues but fiercely hawkish on foreign affairs, particularly on policies that advance Israel’s national security interests. He is considered a classic AIPAC-type congressman, one of a dwindling group of old guard Democrats who have helped maintain a semblance of bipartisan support for Israel in an era of political polarization and Democratic radicalization.
Engel was one of blue America’s most enthusiastic supporters of the war in Iraq. He was an opponent of Barack Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran. After the Obama administration allowed the passage of a United Nations resolution condemning Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, Engel introduced a House resolution condemning the U.N. In 2016, as Saudi Arabia was starving and bombing Yemeni civilians, Engel joined Republicans in defeating a measure that would have restricted Riyadh’s access to cluster munitions, weapons that leave behind mine-like explosives that can kill civilians for decades after a conflict has ended.