The prime minister reiterated July 1 as Israel’s start date for the annexation process in Judea and Samaria.
By: Ebin Sandler
During a Likud party meeting on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined the new government’s primary goals, recommitting to July 1 as the start date to begin moving forward with annexation of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
“We have a historic opportunity here that we haven’t had since 1948,” said Netanyahu, comparing sovereignty in Judea and Samaria to Israel’s Declaration of Independence 72 years ago.
“It’s a huge opportunity and we won’t allow it to pass us by,” he continued, reported Israel’s Channel 20.
Netanyahu added that he “does not intend to change” the July deadline for beginning the process.
Over half a million Israelis live in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, territory that Israel gained from Jordan in 1967’s Six-Day War. Under Israel’s annexation plan, which has gained tentative approval from the U.S., Arab towns and cities in Judea and Samaria would remain under Palestinian Authority control.
In addition to annexation, Netanyahu also discussed at the Monday meeting jump-starting Israel’s economy and preparing for a second wave of coronavirus.
The other items on the agenda at the Likud party meeting were the Iranian threat and the recent steps taken by International Criminal Court (ICC) to pursue war crimes charges against Israel.
Netanyahu blasted the ICC’s attempts to “delegitimize the State of Israel” and target IDF soldiers.
He also nominated Miki Zohar to serve as Likud party chairman.
The party meeting on Monday occurred in the shadow of Netanyahu’s trial on corruption charges, which began in Jerusalem on Sunday. The prime minister has consistently denounced the proceedings as a “judicial coup” designed to oust him from power.
Netanyahu is charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of public trust. He maintains his innocence on all the charges.
Netanyahu filed a motion last week asking the court to allow him to skip the arraignment hearing. The request was denied and Netanyahu’s lawyers attributed the decision to the prosecution’s desire to “present an image of Prime Minister Netanyahu sitting on the defendants’ bench, as a continuation of the ‘anyone-but-Bibi’ campaign.”
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside of the courthouse in support of the prime minister, waving Israeli flags and chanting, “Your honors, Netanyahu is not alone” and “They framed him.”
The other defendants in the case, Yediot Ahronot publisher Noni Moses, as well as Bezeq’s controlling shareholder, Shaul Elovitch and his wife Iris, also appeared in court on Sunday.
(World Israel News)
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