Bill to annex a large settlement being introduced after Trump inauguration

A bill will be presented this Sunday in the first Knesset session after US President-elect Trump’s inauguration, this Friday, that would officially incorporate the Israeli town of Ma’ale Adumim into the state of Israel. 

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation is scheduled to debate a bill this coming Sunday that would officially incorporate the town of Ma’ale Adumim into the state of Israel.

“Already on Sunday we will submit to the Ministerial Committee on Legislation a bill to apply sovereignty on Ma’aleh Adumim,” said Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home party) Member of Knesset (MK) Bezalel Smotrich in front of the Knesset plenum on Tuesday.

“I believe that this is the present the nation of Israel deserves in the wake of Trump’s inauguration and in advance of the policy change with respect to Judea and Samaria.”

Essentially, the bill would be presented in the first Knesset session after US President-elect Trump’s inauguration this Friday.

Bayit Yehudi Chairman and Education Minister Naftali Bennett also referenced the date of Trump’s inauguration when he announced that his party would propose a vote on declaring the town of approximately 37,000 residents, located east of Jerusalem, as an official part of Israel.

“From January 20, there’ll be a different policy in the government,” Bennett said on January 1.

In the wake of statements made by officials on Trump’s team, including Jason Greenblatt, the president-elect’s adviser on Israel, espousing a view that Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria including Ma’ale Adumim, do not pose obstacles to peace, several mayors and regional heads in Judea and Samaria will attend Trump’s inauguration. Those heading to the ceremony include Ma’ale Adumim’s mayor Benny Kashriel, and two Likud MKs.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

Judea and SamariaMa'ale Adumim