Speaking to the Israeli Knesset today, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned against any efforts to try to annex the occupied West Bank, saying that President Trump had “directly” warned Israel against doing so in a recent message.
Lieberman said Israeli annexation would mean “an immediate crisis” in US-Israeli relations, and was too dangerous even before considering the ramifications under international law for extending Israeli sovereignty to include 2.7 million occupied Palestinians.
Trump Administration officials refused to issue any public comments related to Lieberman’s, saying they don’t want to discuss “private communications” with Israel, but that they do expect Israel to “act reasonably” in the future, allowing Trump to take a stab at the peace process.
That’s difficult with Israel’s current far-right government, as many believe that Trump is desperate enough to be portrayed as “pro-Israel” that he would ultimately knuckle under for anything the Netanyahu government decides. Netanyahu clearly doesn’t think this is the case, however, and has warned the cabinet they need to slow things down for the time being to avoid a fight with Trump.
Avi “President Trump is warning us against taking the west bank . And we should act reasonably……please…stop laughing, my friends “
Trump was just pretending and inevitably he’ll say the opposite anyway. The problem was at the time, Trump hadn’t sored out in his head just what the West Bank meant.
Same as the campaign promise of US/Russia improved relations that Trump is afraid to mention now.
Laughable. Trump just stopped pretending that a two state solution is viable. So, he is
“open” to one state — as this is already a reality. There are two problems with him opening the Pandora’s box. Now, all the supressed conversations can start. If one state, just say so, and start the process of negotiating with Palestinians. There are many models of state organization that deals with diversity, so pick one. If somehow a two state is preferred, then go for it. Let us see Israel’s plan for it. After all, as an occupying authority it has an obligation to lay out the plan for the subjects of occupation. Slowing down is a chimera. It assumes a long term inaction, more “settlement”. expansion in West Bank, and more pressure on Palestinians to leave — no talking, no negotiating, just less and less land for Palestinians. In works is a law that will permit confiscation of agricultural land — that means denial of even subsistence source of living.
The second problem with “slowing things down” is the negative impact on US domestic and foreign policy. Sorry Palestinians, but America First. If that means giving Israel whatever it wants — a small price to pay for creating an indeprndent Israel, a normal country, and have its issues disentangled from US foreign and domestic policy. Lieberman is a contender for prime minister’s job one of those days, and it is not shocking to hear him twist conveniently the issue.
The bottom line — US needs to lead, as the issue is hugely damaging to its position in the Middle East. Digging the hole deeper, like Israel’s participation in Bahrain’s apartheid building — is not helping. Israeli-Saudi love fest in Shia hating projects, hurts US. Issue with Iran would be not much of an issue — or it will be a poor deal issue — had it not been for Saudi-Israeli drag on US foreign policy. US still suffers even more from the Ssudi-Israeli obsession with torpedoing all secular states in their neighborhood. And US is getting to be more of a provinciial power by pretending that Russia and China do not count, and that looking up from the boil that is ME, would somehow diminish US. So, give Israel whatever it wants, and put a time limit on the offer, so that US interests globaly can be secured.
Sorry, Bianca, but putting America first is NOT giving Israel everything it wants, that’s putting Israel first. Putting America first is caring for its citizenry before anyone else. Trump just warned Israeli DM Avigdor Lieberman against annexing the West Bank, as it would not only violate international law, but also destroy any chances of peace.
However, Israel’s been violating international law for decades. The 29th Geneva Convention forbids occupying countries (such as Israel) to displace the native populations of the occupied countries and replace them with their own citizens (which Israel has done with its illegal settlements in the West Bank and E. Jerusalem). Trump was warning Lieberman that annexing the occupied West Bank is illegal, despite what PM Bibi Netanyahu’s been saying. Netanyahu said that by annexing the West Bank, the Palestinians residing there would become Israeli citizens .. That’s an outright lie. The brutal treatment of Palestinians wouldn’t end with annexation .. It would continue and possibly get worse.
If there’s going to be a one-state solution, wouldn’t it make more sense for it to be the West Bank & Jordan? They speak the same language, are related, practice the same religion & have the same culture.
Well, that would make a lots of sense. But in ME, I have given up on sense long
time ago. If one can find a solution to the existing settlements, as well as Israeli only roads, walls, and the continued practice of land appropriation under various forms of eminent domain laws, and if one can convince Israel to allocate some of its valuable time to hear out the proposal — it would entail somebody suggesting that West Bank settlents go to Jordsn /- along with Palestinians. I do not think it will be viewed favorably. Another problem is the country of Jordan. It already has over 50%of Palestinian population. They will become vast majority. To keep trouble out — they have forbidden Salafism. But the country can fall apart — even without addiitional Palestinians. Palestinian state as a separate entity — cannot have any sttributes of statehood, as Israel will not allow to any sort of independent security. So, what remains? A one state solution, with Switzeland style cantons. to insure linguistic snd culturall specifics. Where a true Palestinian state can be viable is Gaza. With some international support, it can evolve into a true state.
It may be possible that a small psrt of West Bank goes to Jordan — but I doubt that Israel wants to part with any of that. Things are not what they seem. Obama’s abstention from UN resolution against Israel — is in fact what Israel needed. It needed to have such an event to keep Trump away from starting anything new. Status quo is good for Israel, but not for US anymore. Israel”s policies are alligned wjth the globalist view of the ME, not sovereign state principles. Israel declared its willingness to live with Islamic Syria — not secular one. Which makes sense in the light of Israeli-Saudi relations. The problem with such short-term dealing is the complications it creates for US. Long term solugion to ME are stable secular. states — regardless of their forms of governance. And normalizing relationships by dealing with Palestinian issue — has become imperative to long term US standing in the region. Or we can just continue poring trlllions. While losing on prestige and commerce.
That’s almost nothing as a gesture in the big scheme of things, true. It is, however, a thousand times more than any past administration since Carter has dared to do to limit Zionist banditism.