Executive Director Khalil E. Jahshan hosted a virtual briefing with Dr. Honaida Ghanim, General Director of the Palestinian Forum of Israeli Studies (MADAR) in Ramallah, Palestine. Titled “Annexation Update: Internal Israeli Dynamics,” the session focused on domestic conditions in Israel at the time of the Israeli government’s intended plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, including the Jordan Valley. Honaida Ghanim pointed out that the current Israeli coalition government between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz was possible only after agreement was reached on starting the implementation of annexation on July 1st. She explained that Netanyahu’s insistence on the issue comes from four specific objectives: to benefit from the window of opportunity of President Donald Trump in office; to escape repercussions of his impending corruption trial; to leave a personal historical imprint; and to satisfy his electoral base.
Discussing internal Israeli dynamics, Ghanim noted the large degree of confusion in Israeli society today, just as the country is dealing with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. There is serious opposition to annexation from the center left, the intellectuals, the security and intelligence communities, and the extreme right, each camp for its specific reasons. Ghanim provided her own assessment of what the future may bring by stating that “most likely, the annexation will be delayed, but not cancelled.” The decision will await the culmination of two developments: the outcome of the US presidential election and how Israel’s domestic dynamics will play out, including the future of Netanyahu’s legal problems. In the meantime, Ghanim added, “Netanyahu can continue the colonization of the Palestinian lands."
