Gantz: We will work to apply sovereignty in the Jordan Valley in coordination with the international community

A blue-and-white chairman said in the Jordan Valley that he would work for sovereignty in the region after the elections, in coordination with the international community, while the right is pushing for unilateral annexation. He said he hoped Trump would publicize the century deal, though he had previously opposed it. To Walla! NEWS learned he had been given protest messages from the administration

Gantz: We will work to apply sovereignty in the Jordan Valley in coordination with the international community

Gantz on the Jordan Valley - all details:

• Blue and White Chairman: We will work for sovereignty in the Jordan Valley after the elections in coordination with the international community
• Netanyahu: "Expecting Your Answer About Applying Sovereignty in Knesset Voting - Unless Ahmed Tibi Vets You"
• Gantz, in contrast to his statement two weeks ago: "Hope President Trump comes ahead and announces the century deal"
• To Walla! NEWS has learned that US government officials expressed their displeasure with his previous statement

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz announced Tuesday that he will work to apply sovereignty in the Jordan Valley after the elections, in coordination with the international community, while pushing for unilateral annexation on the right. "We see this region as an integral part of the Land of Israel. ", Said Gantz on a tour of the valley with his party member and Talmud chairman Moshe Ya'alon. He said his party would work for sovereignty, and" until then we will make sure to develop this area. "

Gantz said in the background of statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud that they would annex the Jordan Valley after the elections, and the pressure on the right to do so even before the elections. The public debate on annexation has in recent days revealed controversies in blue-and-white about annexation of the Valley: While the right-wing faction of Tel Aviv supports unilateral annexation, its future is only supported during coordination with the international community.

In addition, Gantz was asked about the US government's intention to publicize President Donald Trump's century deal, saying, "I hope President Trump comes along and publish the program. In a few weeks. A lot of dramatic things are happening in the Middle East, I look forward to publishing the program."

2020 elections - more in Walla! NEWS:

"An integral part of the Land of Israel." Gantz with Ya'alon in the Jordan Valley, today (Photo: Elad Malka)

Benny Gantz and Moshe Boogie Ya'alon White Brush, Tour of the Scrolls in the Northern Dead Sea, January 21, 2020 (Photo: Elad Malka)

Gantz said these things, even though two weeks ago at a faction meeting, he went against the administration's plan even before the election, saying it would be "political intervention" in Israel. To Walla! NEWS has learned that in the past two weeks, US government officials have been sending messages about their displeasure with the previous public statement, which he opposed publishing the plan now, and in the background changed his public stance.

Gantz's first statement, in which he said he was opposed to publishing the plan now, was given a day after meeting with White House special envoy Avi Berkowitz, who came to visit Israel. White-blue officials told Walla! NEWS that "Americans were very angry that his statement was made publicly."

Inside the White House, there are discussions about the date of publication of the plan, which has been postponed for more than a year due to the political situation in Israel. The person who is pushing for the release of the program now is United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who is considered very close to Netanyahu.

US government officials expressed their dissatisfaction with Gantz's earlier statement. Trump (Photo: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump at the Economic Summit in Davos, Switzerland (Photo: Reuters)

In response to Gantz's statement, Netanyahu said: "Why wait for the elections if sovereignty over the Jordan Valley can already be broadly agreed in the Knesset? Benny Gantz, I look forward to your response this evening unless Ahmad Tibi puts you in veto." Gantz, not obliged, replied: "We will discuss immunity first. Then we will govern the application of sovereignty."

Joint Listing Chairman Ayman Odeh said in response to Gantz: "The citizens of the country deserve hope and not imitation - that is how a prime minister is not replaced. Annexation is the elimination of any chance of democracy and peace. You've probably forgotten that there is life after the campaign, too. The pathetic attempt to scramble a few votes from the right is not worth the destruction of the future of us all. "

Labor-Meretz chairman Amir Peretz said he "expects a white paintbrush not to be drawn into the extreme right-wing agenda led by Smutrich. The future of the Jordan Valley should be determined as part of a comprehensive negotiation and arrangement, with an emphasis on Israel's essential security arrangements. "Peretz added that" blue and white must not fall into the right traps. This is just one of countless other pitfalls to come in the election campaign. "

Abandonment begins: Edelstein's surrender presents the loss of Netanyahu's deterrence

"Looking forward to your reply tonight, unless Tibi vetoes you." Netanyahu (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jacob Litzman at a Government Meeting, January 19, 2020 (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky, Paul Photographers)

Before the last election, Netanyahu stated that with the establishment of the government, he would apply sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and the Northern Dead Sea. Netanyahu's statement drew condemnation from European countries, expressing their "deep concern" and saying that "if the declaration is implemented, it would be a serious violation of international law." In addition, Arab states have stated that this was an illegal statement and warned of "dangerous escalation". In September, the government approved its proposal to regulate the Jericho foothold in the valley, after Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit expressed his opposition to the move - but later removed it.

Assistant US Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs David Shankar last month told reporters in Washington that Netanyahu did not present Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with a plan to annex the Jordan Valley this week. "I can tell you that Israel did not present to the United States during the meeting any annexation plan - complete or partial to any part of the West Bank," said Shankar, who also added that "the United States' traditional position is that the West Bank's permanent status should be determined by the parties. ".

Bennett: "We will seize the territories of Israel"

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said today that "we are in the campaign - and they are trying to take the area for us." This is in response to the Palestinian Prime Minister's interview in Haaretz that the PA seeks to cancel the understanding between Areas A, B and C. Bennett, on a tour of Benjamin's regional council, said that "the State of Israel is not the United Nations, it is a party to the campaign. We will occupy the territories of the Land of Israel, settle the citizens of the State of Israel, stop the Palestinian construction. "

He called for sovereignty over Area C, saying that "this is the task, and this can be done in the coming year, to break this 52-year freeze in which we have not even applied the law for one inch. In Judea and Samaria, the Jordan Valley, Samaria, Judea - we will apply sovereignty ".

(Update first: 13:48)

"We're in the fray." Bennett at Benjamin Regional Council, today (Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Ministry of Defense)

Defense Minister Naftali toured Benjamin Regional Council, January 21, 2020 (Photo: Ariel Hermoni / Ministry of Defense, official website)