The power poker between Likud's leader and care-taker Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief of the Blue and White Party Benny Gantz resulted in a power-sharing agreement on a three-year coalition government with the first half for Netanyahu and the second one for Gantz. After three parliamentary elections within a year, this country will finally have an orderly government – one urgently needed government for Israel, especially in the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
| A combination picture shows Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 23, 2019 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Kiryat Malachi, Israel March 1, 2020. [Photo/Agencies] |
But for the relationship between Israel and Palestine as well as for peace, security and stability in the Middle East, this power-sharing deal will be a real challenge. For Israel, it matters as to what Netanyahu and Gantz agreed on who from which political fractions will take which posts in the government or who has veto rights in which decisions. But for Palestine and the peace, security and stability of the region, it has huge and profound implications when Netanyahu and Gantz compromised with each other to carry out in Israeli parliament legal procedure to annex parts of the West Bank in July. Israel already got the green light from the US as the move was suggested in the Trump peace plan, hailed by the US president as "The deal of the century". These territories were illegally seized by Israel through wars and military actions in the past and have been since then occupied by Israel. Both the seizure and occupation are grave violations of international law, therefore the intended annexation too.
The Israeli annexation of illegally captured and occupied Palestine territories will be the mortal blow to the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Its consequences will be very dangerous for peace, security and stability in this region. It would destroy the foundations for all existing agreements between Israel and Palestine, including the Oslo Peace Accords, and would definitely reverse the whole peace process between Israel and Palestine.
Israel continues to pursue its policy of creating fait accompli by means of intentionally and severely trampling international law. Netanyahu and Gantz are political adversaries in Israel. But both share the same viewpoint on the annexation of illegally seized and occupied Palestinian territories. They are encouraged and protected by Donald Trump in this aspect. They want to complete the annexation soon for fear of the possibility of Trump's reelection failure next November.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are of his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Hanoitimes.
