Posturing for the next round of elections, Israel’s two major candidates, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz are both talking up plans to annex pieces of the occupied West Bank if elected. It seems no matter who wins the vote, some annexations will happen. Gantz is pushing the idea of annexing the Jordan Valley, the southern part of the West Bank. He says it is the eastern defensive barrier in any future conflict. The Jordan Valley borders Jordan, a nation nominally on good terms with Israel.
Netanyahu also wants to annex Jordan Valley, and much more. He says if he is elected, he will annex all settlements in the West Bank “without exception.” This would be a large portion of the occupied West Bank.
Netanyahu is also trying to portray Gantz as a “left-wing” leader for not wanting to annex more. He accused Arab MPs of having stopped Gantz from supporting an immediate annexation of the Jordan Valley.