In the interview published by The New York Times on Saturday, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said that some degree of annexation of Judea and Samaria would be legitimate.
“Under certain circumstances, I think Israel has the right to retain some, but unlikely all, of the West Bank,” he said. He did not state what the US government’s stance would be if Israel made such a move.
“The absolute last thing the world needs is a failed Palestinian state between Israel and Jordan,” Friedman said in the Times interview.
“We’re relying upon the fact that the right plan, for the right time, will get the right reaction over time.”
Friedman, a staunch supporter of Israel, told the Times that the Trump plan was aimed at improving the quality of life for PA Arabs but would fall well short of a “permanent resolution to the conflict.”
He said he did not believe the plan would trigger PA Arab violence.
But he said the United States would coordinate closely with Arab ally Jordan, which could face unrest among its large population of PA “refugees” over a plan perceived as overly favorable to Israel.
