White House Talks Postpone Israel’s West Bank Annexation Decision
Arab World
Washington - Heba El Koudsy
Following three days of discussions at the White House, officials said Thursday that the US administration has not yet reached a final decision on the Israeli plan to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank. Senior aides to President Donald Trump noted that the meetings ended without any final US green light for Israel's annexation move. The White House meetings were attended by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Special Adviser to the President Jared Kushner, as well as US Representative for International Negotiations Avi Berkowitz. Sources in Washington said discussions revolved around defining the scope of Israeli moves and the type of sovereignty under which Israel would implement the annexation through US support. In exclusive remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, a senior White House official described as “fruitful” the meetings hosted by the White House this week on the Trump peace plan. He said that Friedman and Berkowitz were expected to return to Israel on Thursday evening to conduct further talks on the planned move. “There is still no final decision on the matter,” he added. Pompeo had confirmed the Trump administration’s support for the Israeli plan to annex parts of the West Bank, despite warnings from the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League, and Democrats at the US Congress, from the dire consequences of the unilateral step that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to take by July. Well-informed sources stressed that Washington wanted the Israeli government to reach a consensus before proceeding with any measures, especially with the reluctance expressed by Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz over the annexation.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2355101/white-house-talks-postpone-israel%E2%80%99s-west-bank-annexation-decision
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