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Netanyahu’s annexation pledge condemned by election challenger
JERUSALEM, April 7, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The main challenger to Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s elections on Sunday condemned the
premier’s deeply controversial pledge to annex West Bank settlements, calling
it an “irresponsible” bid for votes.
Netanyahu said late Saturday he planned to apply sovereignty over at
least parts of the occupied West Bank, a move that could prove the death
knell for the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
His remarks were widely seen as an appeal to right-wing voters ahead of
what is expected to be a close election on Tuesday.
Benny Gantz, the former military chief whose centrist Blue and White
alliance has posed a stiff challenge to Netanyahu, condemned the premier’s
remarks in an interview with Israeli news site Ynet.
“Why not ask how in 13 years Netanyahu could have annexed and didn’t?”
said Gantz, in reference to Netanyahu’s time as premier.
“I think that releasing a strategic and historic decision in an election
campaign bubble is not serious and (is) irresponsible.”
Pressed on his personal position, Gantz said he opposed “unilateral”
moves.
“We said we will strive for a regionally and globally backed peace
agreement while maintaining our basic principles,” he said.
Those principles include keeping security control of the Jordan Valley,
parts of which are in the West Bank, and maintaining the large settlement
blocs in the West Bank.
Gantz has in the past signalled openness to withdrawing at least some
settlers from other areas. He labelled Netanyahu’s remarks as “a meaningless
statement”.
“It’s a shame to play with people like that,” he said.
– ‘I don’t distinguish’ –
Netanyahu did not provide details on how quickly he planned to move
ahead with annexation and whether it would involve all settlements.
If done on a large scale, annexation could end already fading hopes for
a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
It is a move the Israeli far right has long pushed for.
“I will apply (Israeli) sovereignty, but I don’t distinguish between
settlement blocs and isolated settlements,” he said in an interview with
Channel 12 television.
Settlements built on land occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War are
deemed illegal by the international community and their ongoing construction
is seen as a major barrier to peace.
But Netanyahu’s right wing government has had strong support from US
President Donald Trump, who declared the disputed city of Jerusalem Israel’s
capital in 2017 and later recognised Israeli sovereignty over the annexed
Golan Heights.
That prompted Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to cut off relations
with Washington.
Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said Netanyahu’s statement on
annexation was “not surprising.”
“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,” he said on Twitter.
In a separate interview broadcast Friday, Netanyahu said he told Trump
he would not remove settlements or settlers as part of a future American
peace plan.
“I said there shouldn’t be the removal of even one settlement,”
Netanyahu told Israel’s Channel 13 television.
More than 400,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements, backed by
Israel’s military occupation of the territory, home to more than 2.5 million
Palestinians.
A further 200,000 Israelis live in settlements in occupied east
Jerusalem, over which Israel has already implemented full sovereignty.
The Palestinians hope to establish a state of their own in the West
Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
– ‘Close race’ –
Washington is expected to unveil proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace
some time after Tuesday’s election, in which Netanyahu is seeking a fifth
term.
Netanyahu, running for re-election while facing the possibility of
indictment on corruption charges, said he had informed Trump not “even one
person” would be evicted from a settlement.
The US president on Saturday was cautious about the outcome of Israel’s
upcoming election.
“Well, it’s going to be close — I think it’s going to be close. Two
good people,” he said, referring to Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz.
The latest polls place Netanyahu and Gantz neck-and-neck, but give the
former the advantage in his ability to form a coalition government.
Turkey accused Netanyahu on Sunday of raising annexation as a means of
improving his standing in the elections.
“West Bank is Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in violation of
int’l law,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s irresponsible statement to seek votes just
before the Israeli general elections cannot and will not change this fact.”
The Palestinians say the US government’s pro-Israel bias meant it could
no longer mediate between them and Israel.
US officials say their plan will be fair.
BSS/AFP/RY/1945 hrs