IDF instructed to start preparing for possible annexation

Jun 3, 2020

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman will convene a meeting June 3 at the Tel Aviv Defense Ministry headquarters to discuss escalation scenarios ahead of possible annexation of West Bank lands. Representatives of IDF central command and intelligence unit, office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and different Shin Bet branches are expected to participate. They will be presented with different scenarios, including riots in the West Bank and suspension of diplomatic ties with Jordan.

On June 1, Defense Minister Benny Gantz had instructed Kochavi to step up army preparations for the possibility that Israel advances plans on annexing parts of the West Bank.

Gantz is expected to appoint in the coming days a special representative to coordinate moves on the issue in the Palestinian arena. The Ministry of Defense will also establish a coordinating team in order to gather all the professional recommendations for such a possibility and the different escalation scenarios.

No political decision has been made in Israel yet on the issue. Still, the army has reportedly already started preparing in recent weeks for the possibility of Jordan Valley annexation, including verification of equipment and stocks, tightening coordination between the different security agencies and stepping up training.

Gantz met June 1 with US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with senior US officials, including White House adviser Jared Kushner. Following these contacts, Gantz met with Kochavi and updated him on developments. Gantz reportedly told Kochavi to speed up preparations for “diplomatic steps on the agenda in the Palestinian arena.”