Biden: Israeli Annexation Will ‘Choke Off Any Hope of Peace’

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden expressed his opposition to Israel’s plans to extend Israeli law over parts of the West Bank, saying that will “choke off any hope for peace.” 

Warning against unilateral measures, Biden told a group of Jewish donors, “I think we also have to make it clear that I do not support annexation.”

Such a move would “undermine” the two-state solution, Biden went on.

The U.S. could not “fully safeguard Israelis” without peace, and Israel, for its part, must cease settlement construction and plans for annexation.

Biden denounced the Palestinians for continuing to incite violence and hatred against Israelis and for the ongoing rocket attacks from Gaza. He said:

What they are teaching in their schools is still in the school books. No matter what legitimate disagreement they may have Israel, it’s never a justification for terrorism and no leader should fail to condemn as terrorists those who commit these brutalities. The Palestinian needs to accept once and for all reality and Israel’s right to have a secure democratic Jewish state in the Middle East. And Israel needs to stop the threats of annexation, stop settlement activity because it will choke off any hope of peace.

Biden said if elected president, he would support the Taylor Force Act cutting aid to the Palestinian Authority if its so-called “pay-for-slay” scheme paying salaries to terrorists and their families.

Biden blamed three parties for the deadlock in peace talks: Israel, the Palestinians and the Trump administration.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday said the PA was “absolved” of all agreements with Israel and the United States, including security arrangements, over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow to annex Jewish West Bank settlements.
“The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the obligations based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones,” Abbas said according to remarks carried by the PA’s official Wafa news agency.

Ramallah and Jerusalem cooperate on a range of civilian and security matters. If Abbas were to carry out his threat and dissolve the PA, tens of thousands of public workers would be unemployed.

According to the coalition deal between Netanyahu and Blue and White head Benny Gantz, annexation could be brought to a vote in the Knesset as early as July 1.

Trump’s plan would also see a demilitarized Palestinian state established on most of the West Bank with parts of eastern Jerusalem that are outside the Israeli security fence as its capital.

The Palestinians would also receive an economic package to the tune of $50 billion if they agreed to the terms of the deal which include stopping incitement to terror and ending their so-called “pay-for-slay” scheme paying financial stipends to convicted terrorists and their families.