Gantz Is Begging the Palestinians to Pull Him Out of ‘Deep Shit’ of Annexation

For quite some time, Benny Gantz has been mouthing meaningless words in an unsuccessful effort to explain his Kahol Lavan party’s views on annexing parts of the West Bank.

Not unilaterally, yes unilaterally. Only with the international community’s (unobtainable) consent, only with Jordan’s (unobtainable) consent. Only the Jordan Valley, only the settlement blocs. Only as part of the broader Trump plan, only a limited symbolic step. Only with a gesture to the Palestinians – but who needs the Palestinians anyway? Just don’t ask us to elaborate.

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That, roughly, is what he sounds like. To this day, Kahol Lavan hasn’t managed to say anything clear on the subject. They’re neither for it nor against it. They have a list of impossible conditions, but if those conditions aren’t met, then fine, let’s annex anyway. This ambiguity is especially grating given their coalition partner’s assertion that annexation is its top priority.

Even at a briefing for military correspondents on Tuesday, Gantz didn’t provide a clear answer as to whether he’s for or against. His remarks sounded more like a threat against the Palestinians for refusing to extricate him from this mess.

Last week, sources in Kahol Lavan told Haaretz that the Palestinians could save the situation: If they just agreed to negotiate, there would be no unilateral moves, and the whole mess would be postponed to an indefinite time in the future.

And lo and behold, on Tuesday, Gantz himself said that if the Palestinians aren’t willing to resume negotiations, Israel will have to “move forward without them.”

“We won’t keep waiting for the Palestinians,” he said. “The Palestinians continue to reject dialogue and remain stuck in their own deep shit.”