Netanyahu, Kushner talk annexation; July 1 set as deadline

The prime minister spoke on the phone with top Trump advisor Jared Kushner about Israel’s sovereignty process in Judea and Samaria, which is set to begin in July.

By World Israel News Staff

On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with U.S. officials to discuss Israel’s plans to extend sovereignty over Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, Kan reported.

Specifically, Netanyahu discussed the process with President Donald Trump’s advisor Jared Kushner, one of the architects of the Trump administration’s Mideast peace plan.

Netanyahu set July 1 as a hard deadline to begin the annexation process.

However, Israel’s Channel 13 reports that an Israeli source says that the Americans want to slow the process down because the administration has its hands full with riots and protests across the country after the killing of a black man in Minneapolis by a police officer. At the same time it’s still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and the economic battering resulting from that.

The talks followed separate deliberations between Defense Minister Benny Gantz and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer were also reportedly involved in the discussions.

Gantz, who is serving as defense minister, has ordered the IDF to take necessary measures associated with annexation. Violence from the Palestinian side is expected.