In the aftermath of the euphoric announcement of Donald Trump’s "vision" for an Israeli-Palestinian "peace" in Washington, Israel experienced an accelerated return to reality on Wednesday, January 29. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised to act on Sunday in the Council of Ministers to annex the Jordan Valley and the West Bank settlements, over which the White House recognizes its sovereignty. In twenty-four hours, however, his government extended the deadline three times, suspending it from "Complex preparations", which mainly appear as political obstacles.
"The hope is that they wait until after the election" Legislative elections scheduled for March 2 said Trump’s son-in-law and one of the peasants in the deal, Jared Kushner, on Wednesday. The American administration had expressed in the day a certain annoyance vis-a-vis the Israeli eagerness, which is likely to push its Arab allies to make voice their doubts on its vision: the monarchies of the Gulf and especially the Jordanian neighbor, guardian of the holy places in Jerusalem.
Polls on Wednesday evening indicated no push by the Israeli right-wing coalition, and annexation remained supported by only a minority. This debate could now be transferred to Parliament, starting next week. Netanyahu's main rival, former chief of staff Benny Gantz, wants to propose a vote "On the entire plan", to which he repeated his support, after his visit to Washington on Monday. Gantz seeks to divide the right, forcing him to choose between everything and nothing, without distinguishing annexation from recognition of a Palestinian state. However, this last point, however limited it may be in the plan, represents an impossible concession for the ultranational religious, allies of Mr. Netanyahu.
Perpetual electoral cycle
This debate reflects the strength of the state control mechanisms, which are nevertheless subjected to violent short-circuits by the perpetual electoral cycle in which Israel has been bogged down since April 2019, and which must bring it to a third ballot on the 2nd. March. First, justice: the country's attorney general and legal adviser to the government, Avichaï Mandelblit, publicly estimated, as of Tuesday, that annexation could possibly be carried out before the March elections. But on condition that this transitional government, no longer having a parliamentary majority, votes for the Knesset.
