Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to execute a “Ave Maria” decision to legalize dozens of illegal settler posts deep in the West Bank the day before Biden’s inauguration. He failed.
Why it matters: The mass legalization of outposts would have been a highly provocative step, expanding Israeli control over lands in the West Bank and further reducing the chances of a future peace deal with the Palestinians.
Bottom: Trump has drastically changed U.S. policy on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, offering them new legitimacy and giving Israel freedom with respect to settlement activities.
- The Biden government is expected to return to the traditional US policy of treating settlements as illegitimate and opposing future construction.
Driving the news: In the past few weeks, Netanyahu has tried to put a number of liquidation plans in place before Biden took office, knowing it would be more difficult or even impossible later.
- Earlier this week, Netanyahu pressured Defense Minister Benny Gantz to agree to approve a cabinet-level decision to legalize five outposts and lay the groundwork for legalizing 40 more.
- The outposts in question are in the depths of the West Bank. Some are located in isolated areas in an attempt to prevent Palestinian territorial contiguity.
- The settlers’ lobby has put pressure on Netanyahu in recent weeks to legalize outposts and also put pressure on his cabinet ministers.
Netanyahu resisted the pressure for a while, but he reversed the course as part of his efforts to secure support from the settlers’ lobby before the March elections.
- The Israeli Ministry of Justice opposed the measure because Netanyahu’s interim government is not allowed to make dramatic decisions before the elections.
- Itamaraty also opposed it, arguing that the measure would be seen as a provocative and challenging attitude 24 hours before Biden’s inauguration and would create tensions with the new United States government.
- Until an hour before the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Netanyahu was still pressing Gantz to agree. Gantz refused and avoided what he called an “irresponsible” movement.
Worthless: Last week, the Israeli government approved plans for 800 new housing units in West Bank settlements – half of them in isolated settlements in the depths of the West Bank.
- On Tuesday night, the Israeli land authority began selling land for the construction of 2,600 new housing units in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
What to watch: In the coming days, the Biden government will have to publicly articulate its new policy for Israeli settlements. This may renew tensions with the Israeli government.