The European Union warned Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz that he must reject Israel’s annexation of sections of Judea and Samaria during coalition negotiations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Channel 13 reported on Saturday.
Annexing the Jordan Valley as well as Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria was an election promise made by Netanyahu. Gantz, on the other hand, gave mixed messages on the initiative, which has been historically opposed by Washington but is now listed as part of President Trump’s Deal of the Century.
Gantz has supported asserting Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, however he conditioned it being coordinated with the international community — an unrealistic scenario since the US is the only country that has not flatly rejected the idea.
EU officials spoke with Gantz’s foreign affairs adviser, Melody Sucharewicz. They told her that the union strongly opposes any unilateral move to assert Israel’s sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, citing unnamed European diplomats.