A State Department official contradicted statements by Netanyahu regarding a purported discussion with Pompeo about Israel’s plan to annex the Jordan Valley.
By World Israel News Staff
Following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Portugal this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters that the two discussed “annexation,” referring to proposals recently presented regarding the Jordan Valley and other areas of Judea and Samaria.
On Saturday, senior State Department official David Schenker denied that a discussion regarding annexation took place.
Schenker, who serves as assistant secretary for near eastern affairs, commented in an official statement released to the press, “I can tell you that there was no annexation plan, full or partial, for any part of [Judea and Samaria] presented by Israel to the United States during the meeting, and that has long been the U.S. Government position, that the ultimate disposition of territory is to be determined between the parties.”
Schenker prefaced those comments by admitting the meeting “was actually, it was a ‘four eyes’ meeting, but I did talk to the Secretary.”
A “four eyes” meeting means that only Netanyahu and Pompeo were present.
Schenker’s comments contradict Netanyahu’s statements to reporters in Lissbon, where he stated, “We discussed the issue of annexation, but we’re not talking about timetables yet. These things are much easier when you have a government,” reported Times of Israel.