Likud Members Set to Call for Annexation of Judea and Samaria

Jerusalem, 31 December, 2017 (TPS) -- The Likud Central Committee is set to vote Sunday evening on a proposal calling on Israel to annex Judea and Samaria.  The resolution reads “the Likud Central Committee calls on Likud officials to act so as to enable free construction and to apply Israeli law and sovereignty in all the liberated areas in Judea and Samaria.”

Notably, the resolution would not force Likud ministers and MKs to move enforce it, but would represent a strong statement by the ruling  party.

Still, many Likud members, including Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely, Minister of Science Ofir Akunis, Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Environmental Protection Ze’ev Elkin,  MK Nava Boker and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat expressed support for the measure.

“The time has come for the Likud to say loud and clear: Building in these communities, development in these communities, our holdings in Judea and Samaria, are our most important nationalist missions,” Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein said.

Gideon Saar, a former MK and minister of education who is widely thought to be interested in challenging Prime Minister Netanyahu for the party leadership, also joined the call, telling members of the Central Committee that the application of Israeli law to Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria would serve ideological as well as practical reasons.

“(We must) give a solution for the daily needs of a half-million Israeli citizens who live in the communities of Judea and Samaria. I support the proposal of the resolution“ he said.

Notably, the prime minister will not attend the gathering, presumably in an attempt to distance himself from the resolution. As party leader, Netanyahu has long sought to deflect ideological “Land of Israel” moves, preferring to hang a lack of progress on peace talks with the Palestinians on security issues, rather than ideology.  

Opposition members were quick to pre-empt the vote with criticism. MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union) said he” strongly opposes” the move because he feels it would “put an end to any chance for a future political settlement between us and the Palestinians.

“(The vote would) seal Israel’s fate one state for two peoples and would lead to a serious international response” of condemnation and isolation.

MK Yousef Jabareen (Joint List) also slammed the proposal, saying the move “reflects the idea of ‘apartheid’ at its best, and is intended to give political sanction to the superiority of Jewish residents over the Palestinians”

“Instead of giving an alternative to the reality of the occupation and the cycle of bloodshed, the ruling party increases the policy of belligerence, nationalism, and militarism. The Likud proves once again that there is no partner in Israel for the peace process.”