Israel moves into West Bank citing sovereignty

A top Israeli official said on Tuesday that measures adopted by the Government that deepen Israeli control in the occupied West Bank amounted to implementing “de facto sovereignty,” using language that mirrors critics’ warnings about the intent behind the moves. The steps “actually establish a fact on the ground that there will not be a Palestinian state,” Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Israel’s Army Radio. Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights groups have called the moves announced Sunday an annexation of the territory, home to roughly 3.4 million Palestinians who seek it for a future state.

Cohen’s comments followed similar remarks by other members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz. The moves - and Israeli officials’ own descriptions of them - put the country at odds with both regional allies and previous statements from US President Donald Trump. Netanyahu has travelled to Washington to meet with him later this week.