Pompeo in Tel Aviv .. What did Washington require to support the annexation of the West Bank?

Muhammad Mohsen Wedd - occupied Jerusalem

Amid the threats of the European Union and without touching directly on the international position against the imposition of Israeli sovereignty on parts of the occupied West Bank, Israeli and American officials today discussed the chances of success of the US peace plan in the Middle East under the Israeli national unity government.

The meeting brought together US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and head of the Blue and White Alliance Benny Gantz.

In light of European threats to impose economic sanctions on Israel if it annexed sovereignty and unilateral steps, Netanyahu and Gantz deliberately did not include the annexation of lands and settlements and impose sovereignty to the basic guidelines of the national unity government that will be installed in the Knesset on Thursday, where the ministers will take the oath. .

Pompeo also discussed with Israeli officials the international efforts to combat the Corona pandemic, the developments of the Iranian nuclear file, and the joint efforts to reduce the Iranian military position in Syria and Lebanon, as well as the Chinese-Israeli rapprochement that dominated the scenes of the meetings.

Out of the spotlight and contrary to scenes of harmony, support, and common stances of the two countries, Pompeo, with the consensus of analysts and political reporters, conveyed the administration's angry stance on Israeli-Chinese rapprochement.

Messages and demands
In light of the international and European positions opposing annexation and sovereignty, Washington seeks to blackmail Tel Aviv and press it to distance from Beijing, if it wants to obtain immediate American support for the annexation and imposition of sovereignty measures, but without officially announcing a common position for the two countries and agreeing to begin the annexation According to the proposed Israeli schedule.

Until the proposed Israeli date on July 1, Washington continues to press Tel Aviv to bargain support for annexation and sovereignty away from Beijing, where Pompeo conveyed the message of US President Donald Trump, which calls on Netanyahu to stop Chinese investment in Israel, where the American minister did not hesitate to direct Criticized China, accusing it of covering up information on Corona.

Despite the unannounced understandings regarding the issue of annexation, sovereignty, and harmony in the positions of the two countries regarding it, the political commentator on the official Israeli channel "was" Amihai Shatin believed that Pompeo conveyed a message during the Netanyahu-Gantz meeting that Washington is very disturbed by Chinese investments in Israel, and he asked Israeli officials Reducing economic and commercial cooperation with it, and preventing them from investing in Israel.

Israel and China
quoted the political commentator, quoting a senior US diplomatic source in Pompeo's retinue, saying, "Israelis and the world should beware of the Chinese. Any Chinese investment will cause information to leak from that country. Countries must protect their interests and not strengthen the Chinese Communist Party."

Stein explained that Washington warned Tel Aviv of its rapprochement with China, and expressed its annoyance at Chinese investments in Israel to build the largest seawater desalination facility on the Mediterranean coast, stressing that Beijing's investments in Israel will cast a shadow on Israeli-American relations, especially in light of escalating tensions between America And China because of the outbreak of the Corona virus.

In light of the American-Chinese conflict over the Corona virus, the political commentator suggested the growing opposition of the United States to Chinese influence in Israel, especially after China’s approach to Corona, noting that the White House does not view a positive eye for the Israeli-Chinese rapprochement, explaining that America accuses China of intimidating and terrorizing the world And try to blackmail some countries.

Separation and annexation
For his part, the political affairs reporter for Israeli Channel 13, Barak Rafid, believes that Washington took advantage of the regional circumstances and the Corona pandemic to blackmail Israel with the annexation and sovereignty file, and Washington stipulated that the government support the annexation measures provided that the Israeli divergence from China in all matters related to investments, trade and economic cooperation with Beijing.

And if the atmosphere seemed ceremonial during Pompeo's reception ceremonies, however, the White House, which is disturbed by Chinese investments in Israel, according to Rafid, conveyed a message to Netanyahu that the date of the first of July to start the Israeli annexation in the West Bank "is not a sacred date To America.

Dates and obligations
The political affairs correspondent of the Israeli channel explained that Pompeo, who discussed with Netanyahu and Gantz the procedures for annexing the settlements and imposing Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea region, according to the American peace plan, did not show any official commitment from Washington when it came to the American green light of the annex Time to pay practical file actions.

On the reasons for the US failure to adhere to the start dates for the annexation, Ravid quoted high-ranking US officials as saying, "The US administration deals with the Corona crisis and other issues and does not feel ready to engage in the annexation issue. The Israeli timetable is not sacred and can be changed."

In addition to the tepid message to Israel, the American official sent a strongly worded message and a warning to the Palestinians, saying: "If the Palestinians continue to sit aside and they do not come to negotiations, this will have severe and negative consequences for them, and this will facilitate the process of Israeli annexation."