Israel Should Annex Land in Gaza, Judea and Samaria | The American Spectator

As France, the United Kingdom and now Canada plan to recognize a Palestinian state in September, it is time for Israel seize the diplomatic initiative with the Palestinians. And given that there is no hope that neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority can vanquish terrorism, Israel should not swallow the poison pill of Palestinian statehood. Rather, Israel should annex northern Gaza and parts of Judea and Samaria (known by some as the “West Bank”).

Like any nation on Earth, Israel is entitled to land that it conquered from its belligerent enemies. In 1967, Israel was justified in retaining lands held by Egypt (Gaza), Jordan (Judea and Samaria) and Syria (the Golan Heights), as these nations instigated acts of war against the Jewish state. Now, as Hamas still holds Israel’s civilians hostage and refuses to end its forever war against Israel, Israel is again justified in taking land in Gaza.

Annexation of Gazan territory by Israel is not as far-fetched as some might think. Israel annexed eastern Jerusalem in 1980, and President Trump later recognized Israeli sovereignty in unified Jerusalem during his first term. Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, and President Trump later recognized Israeli sovereignty there during his first term as well.

The Trump administration could be amenable to an Israeli annexation of northern Gaza and parts of Judea and Samaria. Unlike the Biden administration, the Trump administration has not made blanket statements that Israel could not annex territory. In fact, the first Trump administration held that Israeli “settlements” did not violate international law (while the Biden administration called them “inconsistent” with international law). Additionally, in a proposed peace plan, the first Trump administration envisioned that Israel could apply sovereignty in parts of Judea and Samaria contiguous with Israel proper and housing 97 percent of the Israelis living in those territories.

Israel is now facing opportunities for more annexation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s (Bibi’s) government is reportedly on the verge of telling Hamas that Israel will annex parts of Gaza if Hamas does not release the hostages. And Hamas will likely continue to fight and not release the hostages, as they are human shields preventing the terror group’s complete destruction. So it is fitting that Hamas should lose territory. And Israelis are increasingly favoring annexation in Gaza, as over twenty Israeli ministers have petitioned the government to investigate re-settling northern Gaza.

Just like Bibi plans to pressure Hamas with annexation, Bibi has growing political capital to apply that same pressure to the Palestinian Authority. The Israeli Knesset has just voted by an overwhelming majority of 71-13 to support “applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.” So Bibi now has a mandate to move forward in annexing at least strategic areas, including land and major settlement blocks like Gush Etzion, the E-1 Corridor, and the Jordan Valley. (For a long-winded argument showing Israel’s right to Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley, see here.)

Meanwhile, the experiment of a Palestinian state in Gaza has failed. In 2005, Israel dismantled 21 towns that housed over 8,000 Israelis, and gave the entirety of Gaza to the Palestinians for the sake of peace. But rather than abide by peace with Israel, Hamas was elected into power in 2007 and proceeded to launch tens of thousands of rockets into Israel, infiltrate Israel with terror tunnels, and instigate at least four wars against the Jewish state (2008-2009, 2012, 2014, and the October 7, 2023 attack). So Israel has a right to re-claim land in Gaza.

The experiment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria has also failed. The Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)/Fatah have supported the October 7 attacks, and continues to let terrorism run amok in areas that it controls in Judea and Samaria.

The IDF recently killed 100 terrorists in the territories, including in major cities Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Tulkarm, proving that the Palestinian Authority is unwilling or unable to fight terrorism itself. The PA/PLO/Fatah have rejected every offer of sovereignty that Israel has offered it, and instead launched the First and Second Intifadas, and even have rank and file members that actively participate in terrorism against Israel. The PA pays terrorists golden parachutes, and continues to preach the destruction of Israel and the Jews. So, Israel has a right to assert its sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

Just as Israel can and does reward countries seeking peace with the Jewish State, Israel should punish the Hamas and PA governments for their continued belligerence. Israeli annexation of lands in Gaza and Judea and Samaria is fitting, and will hopefully happen soon.

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