In a previous article, I argued that Israel should annex Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) in its entirety while the Trump Administration holds power in the US. My argument was based on the premise that "no other US administration, Democrat or Republican, has been more receptive to the idea of Israel extending its sovereignty to Judea and Samaria." Unfortunately, I was profoundly wrong.
In fact, last month, Donald Trump's team went berserk when some Knesset members gave preliminary approval to bills annexing territory in Judea and Samaria, just as US Vice President JD Vance was visiting Israel. Trump's reasoning behind his firm opposition to annexation is that he promised the Arab states that he wouldn't allow it. Thus, Trump chose to appease Arab dictators rather than do what's right and allow Israel to proclaim its sovereignty over territory that rightfully belongs to the Jewish people and the Jewish state.
Trump even threatened to cut off all US support if Israel annexed territory. Inasmuch as Israel is a sovereign country, it cannot afford to lose the support of its most valuable ally. So, how can Israel stake its rightful claim to Judea and Samaria without risking US support?
The solution lies in President Trump's agenda to expand the Abraham Accords, persuading more Arab and Muslim countries to normalize relations with Israel. It's widely believed that the key to convincing other Arab and Muslim states to normalize relations with Israel is Saudi Arabia. Many, if not mos,t experts believe that once Saudi Arabia normalizes relations with Israel, most other Arab and Muslim countries will follow suit.
But one major roadblock stands in the way of Saudi-Israeli normalization: The Saudis' insistence on Palestinian statehood, which Israel cannot and must not agree to under current circumstances. Besides, the Palestinians have had plenty of opportunities for statehood – the 1947 UN partition plan, the 2000 Camp David Summit, the 2001 Taba Summit, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's offer of statehood in 2008, and what President Trump labelled the "Deal of the Century" in 2020 – all of which the Palestinians rejected. Indeed, the Palestinians have always rejected statehood because their ultimate goal has never been the establishment of a Palestinian state coexisting in peace alongside the Jewish state of Israel. Their ultimate goal has always been the complete destruction of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Arab state.
Moreover, there already was a two-state solution. When Israel completely withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, the coastal enclave became a de facto Palestinian state. The Palestinians could have used their newfound autonomy to build the institutions and economy necessary for a prosperous, sovereign country. In fact, they probably could have turned Gaza into the Singapore of the Mediterranean. But instead, the Palestinians turned Gaza into a terrorist base from which to attack Israel. They launched several wars against Israel, ultimately culminating in the October 7 massacre – the worst mass slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. Hence, Saudi Arabia's demand for Palestinian statehood is a deal-breaker for Israel.
Nevertheless, there is still room for a deal that can satisfy both Israel and Saudi Arabia, and almost guarantee Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. In a nutshell, Israel can provisionally accept a Palestinian state in exchange for normalization, provided that the Palestinians fulfil three basic conditions within a specified time period. These conditions are: 1) The Palestinians must prove they can effectively and democratically govern a country. 2) They must prove they can operate a self-sufficient economy. And 3) They must prove their commitment to peace by demilitarizing and reforming their media and education system to eliminate the incitement of hatred and terrorism against Israel and the Jewish people.
The deal would be that if the Palestinians fulfil these three basic conditions within the specified time period, they will be granted statehood. However, if the Palestinians fail to fulfil these conditions within the specified time period, Israel will have the right to annex Judea and Samaria in its entirety. Since the Palestinians will almost certainly fail to keep their part of the bargain, just as they failed to fulfil their commitments under the Oslo Accords and other subsequent pacts, this agreement would guarantee Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. At the same time, the Saudis will have secured Israel's promise to accept a Palestinian state. Later on, when the Palestinians fail to fulfil the conditions for statehood, the Saudis and everyone else who have passionately advocated for the Palestinian cause until now can simply explain that they did all they could to ensure statehood for the Palestinians, but the Palestinians blew it. After the Palestinians fail, once again, for the last time, to seize the opportunity for statehood, no country will have any legitimate reason not to normalize relations with Israel.
