PM Netanyahu Indefinitely Postpones Action - Puts Onus on Trump

PM Netanyahu succeeds in indefinitely postponing decisions – puts onus on Trump
Dr. Aaron Lerner 22 January 2017

Israel Radio reports that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu succeeded to
postpone a decision by the Ministerial Committee on legislation to annex
Ma’aleh Adumim until PM Netanyahu meets with President Trump.

The move effectively creates the situation that Mr. Trump will be to “blame”
for any future decision on the matter made by the sovereign Jewish State.

Before this action Prime Minister Netanyahu made clear that his top priority
with President Trump is the handling of Iran.

Unless there are unexpected developments, it would appear that Prime
Minister Netanyahu has succeeded in revising the justification for inaction
on construction and annexation from fear of retribution from President Obama
to a desire not to take any action that might impinge on efforts to act
against Iran.

The Iranian explanation for inaction is particularly robust as it opens the
possibility of adding in concerns over the need not to alienate moderate
Arabs allies who are part of the anti-Iran coalition.

In the absence of any developments, it may be possible for Mr.Netanyahu to
conclude his term without ever substantively ending the building freeze in
Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem (unless told to do so by President Trump?).

As an indication of the continued policy of stagnation, Prime Minister
Netanyahu replied today to a call by Minister Ofir Okunis to drop PM
Netanyahu’s support for a sovereign Palestinian state by explaining that he
supported a “state minus”.

This appears to be a continuation of the approach that a sovereign
Palestinian state be formed that is subject to various limitations.

To date Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has declined to address the
fundamental problem with such an approach, namely that under international
law, a sovereign state created within the framework of various signed
agreements and/or international understandings (including one expressed in a
UN Security Council resolution) would remain a sovereign state even if it
completely and totally violated – or even openly renounced – those
restrictions.
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