Report: US Conditions Backing for Israeli Annexations on Gantz’s Support

The Trump Administration has reportedly conditioned its support for Israel’s annexation of about 30% of the West Bank on the backing of Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz. According to The Jerusalem Post, the message was conveyed during a meeting on Sunday night that included Gantz, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Parliament Speaker Yariv Levin, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. The reasoning cited is that the White House wants broad support for the initiative in the Israeli cabinet, which tilts slightly to the Right but comprises in near equal proportions members of Gantz’s and Netanyahu’s political blocs. While Israeli law allows sovereignty to be extended over any part of former Mandatory Palestine with a simple majority in the cabinet, such a contentious decision would be amplified unless there was consensus within the body. This comes on the backdrop of reports that Gantz could travel to Jordan in the coming days to discuss rising tensions between Jerusalem and Amman over the prospective move. While Gantz’s exact position remains unclear, he is on record as saying that he would prefer to press ahead in coordination with the international community, foremost Egypt and Jordan, the two Arab countries with which the Jewish state has formal peace agreements. Jordan’s King Abdullah II has threatened to reconsider the treaty if Israel declared sovereignty over the Palestinian-claimed West Bank. For his part, Netanyahu has vowed to push forward with at least some annexations on July 1.