Zionist PM Vows to Annex Jordan Valley, West Bank Settlements
WEST BANK (Dispatches) – The Zionist regime’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has doubled down on his pledge to annex the Jordan Valley and all the settlements in the West Bank as the Zionist regime’s elections draw near.
In a speech launching his right-wing Likud party’s election campaign in al-Quds, Netanyahu vowed to "apply Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and the Northern Dead Sea … without delay and without any veto of [senior Arab-majority Joint List lawmaker] Ahmad Tibi.”
Ahmad Tibi is an Arab member of the Knesset criticized by Israeli politicians for his anti-Zionist positions as well as his close relations with Palestinian parties.
"Not only will we not uproot anyone, we will apply Israeli law to all Israeli settlements without exception,” Netanyahu added.
The remarks came hours after Netanyahu’s main rival, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, said he would work to advance the annexation of the Jordan Valley "in coordination with the international community” if he wins the March 2 general elections.
Netanyahu urged Gantz not to wait until after the elections, but rather support the measure if it is brought before the Israeli parliament (Knesset) for a vote.
The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement that the calls to annex areas of the West Bank would "undermine the foundations of the peace process” and regional stability.
Additionally Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told a UN Security Council meeting that "neither threatens nor attempts at annexation should go unchallenged.”
"The urgency of stopping Israeli annexation schemes cannot be underestimated; immediate action is needed before it is too late,” he said, noting that the UN Charter’s prohibition on acquiring territory by force must be upheld along with Security Council resolutions reaffirming the illegality of the settlements.
Moreover, UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo reiterated that "all settlements are illegal under international law and remain an obstacle to peace” and warned against any annexation bid.
In a speech launching his right-wing Likud party’s election campaign in al-Quds, Netanyahu vowed to "apply Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and the Northern Dead Sea … without delay and without any veto of [senior Arab-majority Joint List lawmaker] Ahmad Tibi.”
Ahmad Tibi is an Arab member of the Knesset criticized by Israeli politicians for his anti-Zionist positions as well as his close relations with Palestinian parties.
"Not only will we not uproot anyone, we will apply Israeli law to all Israeli settlements without exception,” Netanyahu added.
The remarks came hours after Netanyahu’s main rival, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, said he would work to advance the annexation of the Jordan Valley "in coordination with the international community” if he wins the March 2 general elections.
Netanyahu urged Gantz not to wait until after the elections, but rather support the measure if it is brought before the Israeli parliament (Knesset) for a vote.
The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement that the calls to annex areas of the West Bank would "undermine the foundations of the peace process” and regional stability.
Additionally Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told a UN Security Council meeting that "neither threatens nor attempts at annexation should go unchallenged.”
"The urgency of stopping Israeli annexation schemes cannot be underestimated; immediate action is needed before it is too late,” he said, noting that the UN Charter’s prohibition on acquiring territory by force must be upheld along with Security Council resolutions reaffirming the illegality of the settlements.
Moreover, UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo reiterated that "all settlements are illegal under international law and remain an obstacle to peace” and warned against any annexation bid.