Likud MK claims that ‘stars aligned’ for annexation of West Bank land

An Israeli lawmaker from the ruling Likud party claimed yesterday that the “stars are aligned” for annexation of occupied West Bank territory, reported the Jerusalem Post.

MK Uzi Dayan made the remarks during a discussion with Labor-Gesher candidate Hilik Bar, in an event organised by the Middle East Forum.

“We don’t have a partner for peace,” said Dayan. “I am not satisfied with it but we don’t have a partner for peace in the Middle East.”

“There is no one to make a real peace agreement, and let’s say the truth, we can do without it.”

READ: Israel seeks US approval to annex Jordan Valley over ‘security’ concerns

According to the Jerusalem Post, “Dayan argued…that annexing settlements and territory, such as the Jordan Valley [in the occupied West Bank], was now more viable than ever given the extremely affable relationship between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.”

“Annexation is possible now,” he said. “The stars are aligned. We can even achieve a silent agreement to it in the Arab world and the US,” the Likud parliamentarian claimed.

Bar, meanwhile, “argued that the only way to truly defeat the Palestinians as an enemy was through a diplomatic agreement with them.”

However, the Labor MK also said specifically that Israel must maintain control of the Jordan Valley region of the occupied West Bank for at least “30 or 40 years” – and only “if normalization with the Palestinians took place in the intervening period, joint control could be considered afterwards”.

“Even the left doesn’t agree to a Palestinian state which isn’t fully demilitarized,” Bar said.

READ: Israel’s right-wing sign pledge to annex 60% of West Bank