COVID-19 prevents Bennett from pushing alternative annexation plan

Bennett recalled that he had put forward a plan to apply sovereignty to all of Area C already nine years go.

NAFTALI BENNETT at the Defense Ministry this week. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
NAFTALI BENNETT at the Defense Ministry this week.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
The focus now should be on the economic disaster associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and not the promotion of an alternative annexation plan in the Knesset, Yamina Party head Naftali Bennett said on Sunday.
“Now we have to deal with saving Israeli citizens from this disaster to their livelihood,” Bennett told reporters when quizzed about whether he would seek authorization for an alternative annexation plan in the Knesset that would replace that of the sovereignty map under US President Donald Trump’s plan.
Bennett recalled that he had put forward a plan to apply sovereignty to all of Area C already nine years go.
“Time and again I have told the Prime Minister that if he applies sovereignty that we would support it as long as it doesn’t include a Palestinian state,” Bennett said.
His right-wing party, which is in the opposition has been one of the strongest voices against the Trump peace plan. MKs Ayelet Shaked and Bezalel Smorich have been particularly vocal on the matter. They have called for Netanyahu to apply sovereignty independent of the Trump plan, which allows for Israel to annex 30% of the West Bank.
But the Yamina party, as well as some of the leading members of the Yesha Council and other right-wing politicians are concerned that the Trump plan is a blueprint for Palestinian statehood. They are also worried that it would destroy upwards of 15 settlements and would create a de-facto building freeze.
Bennet initially spoke OF campaigning against the plan, but then backtracked, and has since put his energies into pushing Netanyahu’s government to outline a better COVID-19 strategy, including one that deals with the economic component.