US official to ‘Post’: July 1 was never an annexation deadline for America

While the United States looks forward to continued discussions with Israel over its plans to apply of sovereignty to 30% of the West Bank, July 1 was never a deadline for the White House, a senior American official told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday evening. The official spoke to The Post just a day after a US delegation left Israel following rigorous talks this week with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz over the planned annexation of areas in Judea and Samaria. The delegation was led by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Avi Berkowitz. “The administration is appreciative of the ongoing conversations and serious considerations that have gone into our recent discussions with the Israeli government,” the official said. “July 1 is not and has never been a US deadline, nor do we believe it is an Israeli deadline. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with our Israeli partners and working productively and in earnest towards implementing the president's Vision for Peace in the Middle East,” the official added. Talks between Israel and the US are expected to continue in the coming days regarding the scope of Israeli plans to apply sovereignty to parts of the West Bank. It is still unclear if Netanyahu will seek to apply sovereignty to the 30% of the West Bank stipulated in the Trump peace plan – including all settlements and the Jordan Valley – or to a smaller part of it. Gantz has sought to limit the move to the major settlement blocs, but Netanyahu emphasized sovereignty over Bet El and Shiloh, both Biblical cities that are not in the blocs, in a speech to Christians United For Israel this week.

US official to ‘Post’: July 1 was never an annexation deadline for America

“The administration is appreciative of the ongoing conversations and serious considerations that have gone into our recent discussions with the Israeli government,” the official said.

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