Israel will decide whether and when to annex parts of the West Bank, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a briefing on Wednesday.
“As for the annexation of the West Bank, the Israelis ultimately make those decisions, so that’s an Israeli decision,” he said.
“We will work closely with them to share with them our views on this in a private setting,” he added.
Pompeo said he was glad there is now a “fully formed” government in Israel.
A new government has yet to be sworn in, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz signed a coalition agreement on Monday night.
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and other representatives of the Trump administration have begun discussing the peace plan’s implementation with Netanyahu and his expected replacement in a year and a half, Gantz.
The agreement addresses US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which would allow Israel to annex 30% of the West Bank, including all settlements and the entire Jordan Valley, and would provide the Palestinians with a massive economic-aid package and support their establishing a demilitarized state if they meet certain conditions, including stopping incitement and payment for terrorists and instituting civil rights.
read more here: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/pompeo-west-bank-annexation-is-an-israeli-decision-to-make-625509
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