Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent remarks that if he is reelected, he will annex Israeli settlements in the Israeli occupied West Bank and reject the formation of a Palestinian state, describe what would be the final nail in the coffin of a potential two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Palestinians warn. However, many Palestinians say that the controversial remarks have changed little about the reality, because they believe Netanyahu was never committed to the two-state peace process.
Many governments and experts would consider annexation of the Israeli settlements to be a violation of international law and a breach of the Oslo accords under which Israeli and Palestinian representatives committed themselves to a two-state solution. Netanyahu’s comments are widely regarded to be part of his attempt to win support from far-right voters in the 2019 Israeli legislative election, which is taking place on Tuesday.
Read more: Netanyahu’s Talk of West Bank Annexations Is a Blow to Peace but No Surprise, Palestinians Say