Report: Nobody to Talk to in Washington About Annexation

Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin (Likud) has said in private conversations that momentum toward U.S.-backed annexation has dissipated as the White House has become preoccupied with other matters, according to Army Radio on Tuesday.

The Trump administration’s attention is elsewhere, the report claimed Levin had said, and “it is not listening” when it comes to annexation.

As a result, the Netanyahu government is not actively pursuing extension of sovereignty in Yehuda and Shomron, putting it on the “back burner” for the time being.

A recent series of meetings between American and Israeli officials aimed at reaching an agreement on the issues ended inconclusively.

A U.S.-Israeli team which has been working on mapping the exact borders affected by annexation have yet to report to the White House, a prerequisite for approval to implement the plans.

Other Likud officials have made similar comments, but since Levin has been directly involved in talks with the Americans, including the mapping efforts, his would seem to carry more weight.

The Yesha umbrella council of leaders in Yehuda and Shomron responded in a statement:

“There is no need to wait for anyone. This move depends solely on us. It is time to keep the promises made [by Prime Minister Netanyahu] and apply [Israeli] sovereignty regardless of any factor.”