Right pushes for Sunday West Bank annexation vote at Ministerial Committee
The bill looks to preserve Israeli rights to Area C and rejects any Palestinian expansion of building in Area C and or to expansion of agriculture land, unless approved by Israel’s security cabinet.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFKnesset plenum April 20, 2020 (photo credit: SHMULIK GROSSMAN)
The Ministerial Legislative Committee should vote already this Sunday on advancing legislation to the Knesset that would allow for the annexation of West Bank settlements, the Land of Israel Caucus said on Tuesday.It spoke out just one day after its co-chairs MKs Bezalel Smotrich (Yamina) and Haim Katz (Likud) had filed a bill that would allow for the Knesset to apply sovereignty to portions of Area C of the West Bank where the settlements are located.The caucus’ bill is not linked to US President Donald Trump’s plan, which allows Israel to annex up to 30% of the West Bank, essentially half of Area C. But that plan speaks of a Palestinian state on the remaining 70% of the West Bank.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed any action on sovereignty, pending US approval for such a plan, which has yet to be forthcoming.Right-wing politicians and settler leaders do not want to wait. On Tuesday, Smotrich and Katz asked Knesset House Committee chairman MK Eitan Ginzberg (Blue and White) to fast-track the bill, which typically would have needed to wait 45 days before coming before the Ministerial Legislative Committee.They noted that according to the coalition agreement between the Likud and Blue and White parties, Netanyahu could apply sovereignty to the West Bank settlements as early as July 1, but that no action had been taken.“The window of opportunity for this historic act may close soon. There is broad agreement, however, among the coalition and the opposition parties in the Knesset, to advance the application of sovereignty,” the parliamentarians said.They asked Ginzberg to help them maximize this opportune moment by fast-tracking the bill.The legislation does not delineate a map nor does it divide the West Bank on a percentage basis. Instead, it speaks broadly of the land around the settlements. A spokesman for the caucus said that sovereignty would be applied to roads, outposts and settlements. There would be no creation of enclaves, the spokesman added.Language in the bill clarifies that the application of sovereignty over the areas of settlement was a first step toward eventual Israeli sovereignty over Area C.The bill looks to preserve Israeli rights to Area C and rejects any Palestinian expansion of building in Area C and or to expansion of agriculture land, unless approved by Israel’s security cabinet.It also bans international activity in Area C unless it is coordinated with Israel.
