Former Justice Minister and MK Ayelet Shaked (Yamina) is optimistic that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s plans to annex parts of Judea and Samaria next week will be passed without opposition from Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, despite hints he may not accept annexation during a caretaker government.
Mandelblit won’t block the “historic process” of applying Israeli sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria, Shaked claimed in an interview with Galey Tzahal Wednesday morning, citing the unique opportunity created by the Trump administration’s green light to Israel to annex roughly 30% of Judea and Samaria.
Despite suggestions that Netanyahu’s caretaker government lacks the authority to take such a step, Shaked argued that the restrictions placed on transitional governments have no basis in Israeli law.
“All of the limitations on transitional governments are the result of deteriorations [in the law] from court rulings which began 20 years ago, and restrictions imposed by attorneys general. There is no foundation for this in the law.”
Shaked also dismissed fears annexation could cause a major escalation in the region.
“We know what happened the day after independence was declared. We were also warned that war would break out after Begin applied Israeli law to the Golan Heights.”
On Tuesday, following the release of the Trump administration’s Middle East peace plan, Binyamin Netanyahu announced that he would apply sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and all Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria immediately, with additional areas to be brought under Israeli sovereignty after consultations with the US.
"Israel immediately receives American recognition for the application of Israeli law on the Jordan Valley and the Northern Dead Sea and all the settlements. All is included. Israel treats all settlements equally. The law in Itamar is the same as the law in Tel Aviv," Netanyahu declared.
"Applying Israeli law will be done in two steps. First, I will approve the government's decision at the upcoming meeting to apply Israeli law to the Jordan Valley and all settlements. After working in Israel and in coordination with the US, the Israeli law will be applied to additional areas. It's going to take some time."
"We will cancel the military administration over half a million Israelis in the settlements following the government's decision. After the implementation of Israeli law, all restrictions on construction and other issues will be removed," the prime minister promised.
Hours later, however, Attorney General Mandelblit called for Netanyahu’s caretaker government to exercise “restraint”.
"We have to help the government implement its policy, but also ensure to maintain restraint during a transitional government. We will see what the urgency of the issue is. We will listen and decide. If a request is made, I will examine it from a legal point of view. There are other urgent matters during a transitional government. I am not ruling anything out.”