Sovereignty and Its Enforcement

The extension of Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank—in reality and not just in theory—is all the more important in light of the chaos and lawlessness that are taking all meaning out of Israeli control of the lands in question.

Israeli Sovereignty and Its Unlikely Benefactors

Dr. Alex Joffe
July 13, 2020
Paper No. 1641

PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s enthusiasm for the idea of applying Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank can be explained by the desire to seize the historic opportunity created by President Trump’s uniquely favorable attitude to Israel. There is another element, however, that warrants close attention: Netanyahu’s reaction to the Obama administration’s relentless hostility.

Hamas Views Application of Sovereignty as a Potential Opportunity

Yaakov Lappin
July 9, 2020
Paper No. 1634

As Hamas weighs its response to the application of Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, it continues to raise a terror army, build up its rocket arsenal, and plot to increase its presence in the West Bank.

The Sovereignty Debate Has Changed Israeli Discourse

The moment the issue of extending Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and parts of the West Bank emerged, it took on a dynamic of its own. Not only did the opposing sides’ positions grow sharper and more polarized, but the way claims are being made—accompanied by fear-mongering and threats—has changed the dynamic of the internal Israeli debate on the Israeli-Palestinian problem.

Netanyahu’s Complex Dilemma

The issue of applying sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and the West Bank’s Israeli communities puts PM Benjamin Netanyahu on the horns of a difficult strategic dilemma, one of the most important in Israel’s history. At critical strategic junctures, decisions are always complex, and Netanyahu’s is complex many times over. But full Israeli control over the West Bank’s main traffic arteries is absolutely essential.

The Jordan Valley Annexation Dilemma: A Realistic Approach

The declared intention of the new Israeli government to pave the way for the implementation of sovereignty in certain parts of the West Bank, with the blessing of the Trump administration, is prompting vigorous debate. The dark prophecies by “liberal” Israelis as well as EU officials about the dire consequences that would result from annexation are exaggerated, and they obscure the vital strategic value of the Jordan Valley for Israel’s security.

EU Funding of Illegal Palestinian Settlement in Area C

“Area C,” which makes up about 60% of the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria (known as the West Bank since their 1950 annexation by Jordan), is making news these days. This time, the hot button issue is the illegal Palestinian settlements that are sprouting up across the region. These settlements shred the last scraps that remain of the Oslo Accords, which propelled the idea of the “two-state solution” for a generation. The funding for these illegal Palestinian settlements, which amounts to hundreds of millions of euros annually, comes from the EU. According to the Oslo Accords, only Israel can issue construction permits in Area C. In joining forces to promote the rapid expansion of illegal Palestinian settlement in Area C, the EU and the PA have dispensed entirely with any coordination with Israel, in direct contravention of the Accords.

The EU Is Battling Israel in Area C

Ever since a decision in January 2012, the EU has been expressly committed to the expansion of illegal Palestinian settlement in Area C in conjunction with the PA. This is in blatant disregard of the Oslo accords, which the EU purports to uphold. The object is to create continuous Palestinian settlement throughout the West Bank and thereby isolate and strangle Israeli communities.

The Danger of Israeli Public Apathy Regarding Palestinian Construction in Area C

While Israeli Jews continue to move into urban centers, the Palestinians have been assuming sovereignty in the open lands and leaving the Jews with personal sovereignty solely in their areas of residence. This trend is not restricted to the West Bank. It is also occurring in the Negev, the Galilee, and the Jezreel Valley, where Jews are moving into high-rise buildings while non-Jews are taking control of the open spaces. A contributing factor to this dangerous trend is the complete lack of interest in the subject displayed by most of the Israeli public.

What Should Be Learned from the Gaza Disengagement?

The debate over the interpretation of the clear and present danger from Gaza in the wake of the 2005 unilateral disengagement holds the key to saving Israel from the dangers attending the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank.