While others think it’s time to challenge their founding structures of ethnic and racial power, Israel is proceeding with plans to annex great swathes of Palestinian land in the West Bank. In addition to the United Nations, the European Union, Jordan, the Arab League, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, subject-matter experts object to annexation in the strongest terms.
- 103 (and counting) scholars of public international law protest because it “would constitute a flagrant violation of bedrock rules of international law.” http://opiniojuris.org/2020/06/11/an-open-letter-to-the-israeli-government-condemning-annexation/
- Over 400 Jewish and Israel studies academics denounce it as “apartheid” and a “crime against humanity.” https://www.annexation.site/
Why is Netanyahu so confident that he can annex anyway? His confidence is written into the agreement that established Israel’s present coalition government. As a memo from the US / Middle East Project explains, the agreement outlines coalition operations,
“with one crucial exemption – that the extension of Israeli sovereignty or annexation can be advanced by Netanyahu … without the agreement of Gantz … To be clear, this is the only area of policy regarding which such a veto override clause exists … [A]ccording to the text, there is only one condition that needs to be satisfied in order for Netanyahu to move forward with annexation… That condition is … that such legislation will be in agreement with the U.S.”
In other words, Trump is the senior partner in Israel’s coalition government.
It is insufficient to ask Netanyahu to kindly not break these additional laws. Palestinian land does not belong to Trump and Netanyahu. The West Bank is not their vanity project. Palestine and Palestinian rights have been excluded from determining the future of their land. We need to hear from the people who are hidden by the occupation’s structures of ethnic power.
Therefore, oppose annexation and assert the equal rights of Palestinians to freedom, agency and justice.
Marilyn Garson
June 13, 2020
Sh'ma Koleinu - Alternative Jewish Voices (NZ) 