After US Secretary Mike Pompeo announced the US policy shift on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to immediately pass a decision to annex the Jordan Valley after a unity government is formed. The prime minister made a similar statement leading up to the second round of elections in September, and it is the latest indication of growing support for annexation within the Israeli government. However, although Israel does have legitimate security concerns via the Jordan Valley, those needs can be met by implementing certain security arrangements through a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians, and annexation may not be a wise alternative.
This article was originally published by The Jerusalem Post
