Israel Eyes Partial West Bank Annexation After Wave of Palestinian State Recognition, but Awaits U.S. Backing - Israel News
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not issue a substantial response to Australia, the U.K. and Canada's formal recognition of a Palestinian State on Sunday, despite multiple discussions having been held over the past weeks regarding the expected declaration.
"The response to the latest attempt to force a terrorist state in the heart of our country will be given after my return from the United States. Wait and see," Netanyahu said on Sunday, without providing further details.
In his statement, the Israeli prime minister effectively signaled that any move he ultimately takes must be supported by the Trump administration, and he has not yet received that support outright.
"There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan River," Netanyahu said, adding that he had long prevented the establishment of a Palestinian state despite internal and external pressure. "Indeed, we doubled Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, and we will continue on this path," Netanyahu added.
The prime minister's vague response, which hints that a practical response may follow, was most likely intended to once again bring the far-right's dreams for a full annexation of the West Bank back into the media spotlight.
Several ministers from Netanyahu's government called to immediately apply Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank following the recognition earlier Sunday, and far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for "the complete dismantling of the Palestinian terror authority."
However, such a move is only expected to deepen Israel's political isolation, endanger its relations with Egypt and Jordan, bring to a total collapse of the normalization agreement with the United Arab Emirates, and bury any chance of advancing a deal with Saudi Arabia.
Amid the right-wing pushing for full annexation, Israel has recently been examining the potential implications of a limited move to annex parts of the Jordan Valley. It remains unclear how the U.S., Jordan or the United Arab Emirates would perceive such a move.
However, it is clear that such a limited move would not satisfy Israel's right-wing political players, who view the cold shoulder turned on Israel by many countries as an opportunity to unilaterally redefine Israel's borders.
A source familiar with the matter who spoke to Haaretz said that Netanyahu's associates believe that a formal annexation announcement is unlikely, given the United Arab Emirates' warning earlier this month that such a move would jeopardize the Abraham Accords.
However, the source also said that officials close to Netanyahu are considering changing the status of Area B in the West Bank, which is currently under Palestinian civilian control but Israeli security control, to match that of Area C – placing it under full Israeli military and civil control.
Israel has also been considering a series of potential sanctions against countries that recognize a Palestinian state. These include revoking entry permits to Ramallah for the countries' diplomats, and a possible closure of the countries' consulates in Jerusalem, a measure which Israeli officials view as a drastic one. The primary target is the French consulate, as France is leading the collective recognition initiative alongside Saudi Arabia.
Amid the considerations being taken by the political leadership against the recognition of a Palestinian state and the calls for the application of Israeli sovereignty in retaliation, the Israeli military is preparing its forces for a possible escalation in security threats in the West Bank and a rise in attempted attacks in the region.
Military officials say the Palestinian Authority's worsening economic crisis could further fuel tensions, but also stress that they still see the Authority as a potential partner in efforts to prevent a flare-up.
The Israeli establishment clarified to the political leadership that the recognition of a Palestinian state, as well as a possible response of annexation of the West Bank, could lead to a Palestinian uprising in the West Bank, making it the core of the conflict.
Israeli military officials believe, citing intelligence sources, that Palestinian security mechanisms have been greatly weakened over the last two years, leading to concerns that they will not be able to stop an uprising within the territories ruled by the Palestinian Authority. This erosion stems, among other things, from the economic distress of the Palestinian Authority, which is having difficulty paying its personnel full salaries.
The army also made it clear to Israel's political leadership that an escalation in the West Bank would require reinforcement of combat forces or the mobilization of reservists, which could affect the IDF's operations in the Gaza Strip. As of now, 22 battalions are deployed in the West Bank, mostly reserve forces who replaced regular service forces which were transferred to Gaza.
Last month, Israel gave final approval to settlement construction plans in the E1 area, which would sever the northern West Bank from the south. The long-disputed plans, delayed for years under international pressure, have far-reaching implications for the viability of a two-state solution and have drawn sharp global criticism.
Upon the approval, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, "The Palestinian state is being erased – not in slogans, but in actions."