Hebrew Site: Sa'ar Informs Rubio of Israel's Intention to Impose Sovereignty Over the West Bank

Translation by SadaNews - The Hebrew site Walla reported this evening, Sunday, that Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar informed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a recent meeting in the United States that Israel is paving the way for an announcement to apply Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.

According to the Hebrew site, as translated by SadaNews, there are differing opinions within the Israeli government regarding whether the decision should be ideological or a response to various countries' decisions to recognize a Palestinian state.

The site noted that Israel wishes to quietly work on this step, and in the official briefings following the meeting held on Thursday, it was not mentioned that the issue of sovereignty was on the agenda, but the parties only discussed the situation in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.

It indicated that Sa'ar has already started paving the way to raise this issue with Israeli officials in the U.S. administration.

It pointed out that there is a consensus in the Israeli government on the desire and need to extend sovereignty over the West Bank, but there is disagreement over whether the sovereignty declaration should be a response to the intentions of various countries to recognize a Palestinian state, or as an ideological step and not a reaction to the intentions of countries recognizing a Palestinian state.

The mini-cabinet will discuss this issue this evening.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich spoke last week at a ceremony held in the settlement of Ofra, saying: "Sovereignty over the lands of our homeland is not in Washington, nor in the United Nations, nor in Europe, nor anywhere far away. Our sovereignty is a historic decision that is far overdue, but it is required on Gaza Street in Jerusalem (Netanyahu's home)."

Smotrich criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: "Mr. Prime Minister, accept the decision. I read a report this morning claiming that there is a theoretical discussion about whether sovereignty should be applied only to the Jordan Valley or beyond that, and I want to say clearly and firmly: We are not doing half the job or a quarter of it; Israeli sovereignty must be applied to the entire land... simply because this is our country."

Netanyahu previously proposed in a cabinet meeting a decision to apply Israeli sovereignty over the lands of the West Bank in January 2020, immediately after presenting Trump's peace plan.