Gantz Orders Army to Speed Up Work as Annexation Date Nears
Gantz Orders Army to Speed Up Work as Annexation Date Nears
(Bloomberg) -- Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz ordered the army to accelerate its preparedness ahead of the government’s stated plan to begin annexing territory in the West Bank that Palestinians have vociferously protested.
The ministry will set up a team to coordinate the military’s moves in the West Bank, which the Palestinians want at the heart of a future state, and the area around the Gaza Strip, according to a statement on Monday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that from July 1 he will start the process of establishing sovereignty over 30% of West Bank land, as seen under President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan. The Palestinian leadership has consistently slammed Trump’s initiative for effectively ending the possibility of a two-state solution, something the U.S. says remains its goal.
Large-scale annexation could spark violent protest in the West Bank. Last month, the Palestinian Authority said that it is no longer bound to agreements with Israel and the U.S. that include security cooperation credited with helping curtail attacks against Israelis.
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