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News > Israel

US’ Kushner Tells Netanyahu to ‘Slow the Process’ of Annexation

  • Kushner called for a slowdown of annexation plans during a conference call with Netanyahu.

    Kushner called for a slowdown of annexation plans during a conference call with Netanyahu. | Photo: AFP

Published 3 June 2020
Opinion

Kushner ​​​​​wanted to “downplay the enthusiasm” for annexation while the U.S. struggles with the pandemic and faces nationwide protests over the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd.

U.S. Donald Trump's special adviser Jared Kushner warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “greatly slow the process” of annexing the occupied West Bank and Jordan Valley, Israel’s Channel 13 reported Tuesday.

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Kushner called for a slowdown of annexation plans during a conference call with Netanyahu, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and White House special representative for international negotiations Avi Berkowitz, according to the report.

Trump’s son in law and special adviser wanted to “downplay the enthusiasm” for annexation while the U.S. struggles to contain the coronavirus outbreak and faces nationwide protests over the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis.

The call came the day after Israel’s Defence Minister Benny Gantz ordered, the Chief of Staff for the Israeli army, to “step up preparations” for government plans to begin annexation of illegal settlements in the West Bank and the strategic Jordan Valley in July, according to the Times of Israel.

Under the new Israeli unity government agreement, Netanyahu can seek to start takeover plans from 1 July, following plans laid out in Trump’s so-called ‘deal of the century.’

Trump’s Middle East plan greenlights Israeli annexation of approximately 30 percent of the West Bank, including the strategic Jordan Valley and settlements that are illegal under international law.

The so-called ‘deal’, despite only being agreed between the U.S. and Israel, seeks to establish an ostensibly contiguous Palestinian state in 70 to 80 percent of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and pockets of land in southern Israel.

The plan has widely been rejected by the Palestinians and the international community.

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