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White House fails to reach decision on annexation, more talks planned

A senior White House official told multiple outlets that the meetings were “productive,” but “there is yet no final decision on next steps for implementing the Trump plan.”

The Givat Tkuma neighborhood near the Israeli community of Yitzhar in Samaria, Jan. 27, 2020. Photo by Sraya Diamant/Flash90.
The Givat Tkuma neighborhood near the Israeli community of Yitzhar in Samaria, Jan. 27, 2020. Photo by Sraya Diamant/Flash90.

After days of meetings, the Trump administration reportedly did not come to a conclusion on whether or not to support Israel’s plans to annex parts of Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.

A senior White House official told multiple outlets that the meetings were “productive,” but “there is yet no final decision on next steps for implementing the Trump plan,” referring to the administration’s “Peace to Prosperity” vision released earlier this year that Israel accepted and the Palestinians rejected.

The administration official told outlets that U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, assistant to the president and Special Representative for International Negotiations Avi Berkowitz and Mapping Committee member Scott Leith were scheduled to travel to Israel on Thursday for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi regarding applying sovereignty to heavily settled areas of the West Bank.

The Israeli government plans to enact annexation starting in July.

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