White House officials told Channel 13 News reporter Barak Ravid on Thursday that despite the political stalemate in Israel, they intend to approve Israeli annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria within months, if the Palestinian Authority does not come to the negotiating table.
Or, in other words, as soon as the PA is ready to join the peace process, the Trump administration will be ready to chuck its promises of Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and the settlements.
The officials said they intend to move forward with the implementation of President Trump’s peace plan, and stressed that even if there are fourth elections in Israel (God forbid), both Likud and Blue&White know that Trump’s presidency offers Israel a unique opportunity no other American president would, and that they should show a great deal of flexibility in return..
“We can convince them to do the right thing,” the officials said – the right thing meaning giving up the hopes for limited annexations, permitting a Palestinian State capital in eastern Jerusalem, to name two “right things.”
Trump and his chief adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner were hoping that the third election would lead to a decision and to the establishment of a stable government in Israel. However, a few months ago, after the campaign for third election had gotten on the way, the White House decided to treat the political crisis in Israel as something that could go on for a long time, and to not delay their “deal of the century” any longer.
The main issue at this stage is the work of the Israeli-American Joint Committee, which deals with the precise marking of the Judea and Samaria territories the United States would be prepared to recognize as part of Israel under the Trump plan, and which Israel could annex, unless the Americans pulled their permission at the last minute.
Ravid reported on Axios on Thursday that Jared Kushner told senators in a Wednesday closed-door briefing that the Trump administration was pushing its peace plan, despite the PA’s boycott of the process, and despite the fact that Israel hasn’t had an elected government for over a year.
According to Ravid, the senators asked Kushner in the closed meeting about Israeli annexations, and he told them that the mapping and demarcation process would take months, and that, meanwhile, the PA could skew the plan in their favor now if they agree to join the negotiations.
Ravid quoted a White House official (meaning, without a doubt, Kushner – DI) who said: “Nobody can say we didn’t give the Palestinians a chance to go back to the table. If they want to talk we are ready. We think we can make it better for them, but if not, the world is going to move on without them. We are not going to do things in the same stupid manner it was done before. We are going to keep moving forward.”
Yes, that one was unadulterated Kushner. As for Netanyahu and Gantz, they should prepare themselves emotionally for the moment Ivanka’s husband kicks them under the bus – maybe dress in layers, too.