In what could develop into the next coalition crisis, the Knesset Land of Israel lobby presented a bill to apply Israel sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, creating an awkward situation for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose plans to announce the application of Israeli law to the Jordan Valley and settlements in Judea and Samaria on July 1 did not pan out as planned.
The bill was presented Monday by lobby leaders MK Haim Katz (Likud) and Bezalel Smotrich (Yamina) and calls for Israel to announce sovereignty in areas of Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, in accordance with wording that has been approved by the Likud Central Committee.
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The bill also seeks to create a mechanism that would protect areas that do not fall under Israeli sovereignty and prevent a Palestinian or international takeover of any territory in Area C to which the bill does not apply.
The mechanism would act to prevent illegal Palestinian construction in Area C; agricultural crime; and international infrastructure and activity in Area C that is not approved by the Israeli government. In addition, it will promote the regulation of land ownership, including in the parts of Area C that lie outside the sovereignty map and protect government-owned land through grazing, farming, or forestation.
The humanitarian needs of residents of Area C who are not Israeli citizens are also addressed in the bill, which lays down rules for construction plans for those residents, to be approved by Israel's Diplomatic Security Cabinet.
Katz, who serves as chairman of the Likud Central Committee and co-chairman of the Land of Israel lobby, said, "The time for sovereignty arrived long ago. I hope that Israel will be smart enough to use the window of opportunity with the Americans and that all parts of the government will enlist on the matter."
The longer the government dawdles, Katz warned, "the more complicated reality on the ground will become."
Smotrich added, "Unfortunately, the government's promises about sovereignty thus far have not been kept, and Netanyahu's proposed plan creates a de-facto Arab state in the heart of the Land. The bill we presented today is the sovereignty we long for."
In related news, Israel Hayom has learned that Netanyahu is still working on implementing his plan to announce sovereignty, which is based on the Trump administration's peace plan. Because of disagreements with the White House and with Blue and White, Netanyahu is seeking a framework agreement that would be acceptable to all sides.
Senior cabinet ministers told Israel Hayom that the main obstacle to sovereignty is the double message from the US administration: while US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has said explicitly that Israel may go ahead with the plan, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner is trying to stop it.
American officials denied these reports, saying that the administration had a single position on the matter and that Kushner supported the sovereignty plan.
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