Israel Lawmakers vote 71-13 in favor of non-binding motion calling for West Bank annexation

[David__77]

Knesset lawmakers vote 71-13 in favor of a non-binding motion for the agenda in favor of annexing the West Bank in the Knesset today.

“The land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel,” declares Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana following the vote, adding that “Jews cannot be the occupiers” of their own ancestral homeland.

The motion, advanced by Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman, Likud MK Dan Illouz and Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer, describes Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley as “an inseparable part of the historical homeland of the Jewish people” and calls for applying Israeli sovereignty to these areas.

…

The motion, advanced by Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman, Likud MK Dan Illouz and Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer, describes Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley as “an inseparable part of the historical homeland of the Jewish people” and calls for applying Israeli sovereignty to these areas.

…

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/lawmakers-vote-71-13-in-favor-of-non-binding-motion-calling-for-west-bank-annexation/

[brush]

2. Isn't that also the homeland of Arabs/Palestinians?

[brush]

12. That's a toughie. All the way back to the Balfour Declaration and the right of return...

eventually leading to the creation of Israel, is, as I said, a difficult one. What of the Palestinians/Arabs who never left?

Just as here in the US, it's incredibly hard to carve out a multi-ethnic and multi-religious land that is shared with interests of all considered. Believe me I know as an African American borne and raised here.

Inevitably there willl be hills and valleys and violence, as witnessed by what's stlll happens here and what's going on in Israel.

It's hard to share, but IMO it should be the goal. The founding fathers here had lofty opinions, had many differences yet left behind two profound documents that have influenced much of the world...the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

We're stull tryng to get there, and so s Israel. Netanyahu's long reign is is a long standing and imposing impediment
though. He, Likud and all the other hard right forces have to someway be mediated. And of course Hamas has to be defeated.

It's hard.

[brush]

16. Nice. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. But you don't think it's worth trying?

I didn't intend to mouth platitudes about the US, that is not my way as I am not an ass kissing tom about the US. I have many grievances, but I'll be damned if I'll be run out of this nation because my ancestors, and I, helped build this country. I guess Jews feel the same way about Israel.

I know of the ships of Jewish refugees from Germany during and after WWll being turned away. It must hurt as persecution does to all who are victims of it. I've always felt that Black people and Jews have a commonality in that regard, whch is why I feel for the Palestinians in Gaza. And I sense that you kinda feel the same way.

Again, it's hard.

[brush]

19. You're kidding? You would leave? Where would you go?

The Middle East? Israel? The Caribbean? Mexico where the cost of living is much lower?

trump's not going to last much longer.

[brush]

25. Good luck if you leave, K.D. Nice talking with you.

I'm sure we'll run into each other again on a DU thread.

Be careful. My wife and I visited Rosarito, Mexico, south of Tiajuana on the Baja penisula, thinking about joining ex-pat community there. One of the real estate agents warned us though that we would need body guards as bandits prey on ex-pats. That was it, my wife was ready to leave after that.

[sarisataka]

10. That seems to imply Israel should not exist

And Jews should go back where they came from.
Or am I mistaken?

[EdmondDantes_]

15. It was a weird take

For whatever conflict I have with that the same area is a holy area for 3 religions and the conflict that dividing that area creates, Israel absolutely has a right to exist. One of the things history teaches is that a people without a state will struggle. Look at Chinese treatment of minorities, European and American treatment of native populations, nazi treatment of Jews, Roma, etc.

I disagree with some of the Israeli government's actions, but I do that with every government.

That does mean I also believe the Palestinians should have their own state, but their leaders unfortunately have made it really difficult to trust them with that. And that's before even trying to figure out how to divide the holy sites and make sure that Hamas doesn't become the government of a Palestinian state since their mission statement is no Israel and a commitment to violent ends.

[Bettie]

4. Opening the door for full-scale

murder of all Palestinians in the West Bank, once they finish off Gaza, well, the Palestinians in Gaza. The land will be developed into luxury resorts for the very wealthy.

[bluestarone]

5. AGREE! but i would never want to vacation in those resorts.

NEVER!

[malaise]

11. And with Western comp,icity

and weapons

[Ping Tung]

6. What next? Lebanon? Jordan? Syria? Chicago?

[purr-rat beauty]

7. Just expanding their ethnic cleansing

....nothing to see here from the anti-islamics

( for the record....I am not impressed by either side and find the justification for death and destruction through religion revolting )

[Beastly Boy]

9. The motion is for debating the proposed agenda in the Knesset.

A debate which will enable to defeat the motion which will otherwise remain unopposed.

In either case, as the article states, "Motions for the agenda have no practical implications and will not impact the legal status of the West Bank.'

Let the outrage hit the fan.

[Ken Dayenu]

18. That Alarming Poll Showing 82% of Israelis Back Gazans' Expulsion? It's Wrong

A recent poll among Israeli Jews, as reported in Haaretz, produced truly shocking results: 82 percent of respondents reportedly supported the forcible expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, while 56 percent supported expelling Palestinian citizens of Israel. The poll suggests an extreme reality and has garnered significant attention.

We, too, were alarmed by these findings, for an additional reason: we believe they are wrong.

At around the same time this poll was conducted, Tel Aviv University fielded a comprehensive, large-scale survey as part of its ongoing Israel National Election Studies research project. In that study, participants were asked whether they would support a solution for Gaza that includes transferring its population to another country or countries. Among Jewish respondents, agreement stood at 53 percent, and among the entire Israeli population – including Arab citizens – it was 45 percent.

https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-06-04/ty-article-opinion/.premium/do-82-of-israelis-really-back-expulsion-of-gazans-the-data-tells-a-different-story/00000197-39da-da41-a9f7-3dde468d0000?gift=240e2cb9b9364adba9194c11cf951d2b

53% for Israeli Jews is still crazy high, but the previous study looks highly flawed. Let me know if this Gift Link doesn't work.

[Celerity]

21. Fair enough. I will pull the reply as that link raises legimate concerns.

Cheers.

[Celerity]

26. I have always tried to be a good faith poster. Not perfect, not close, but I try.

[John Farmer]

20. If this fantasy is carried out

will the Palestinians already living there become full-fledged Israeli citizens?

[maxsolomon]

28. In a one-state solution, they should, but that idea is regularly dismissed because of Palestinian's sky-high birthrate.

Last edited Wed Jul 23, 2025, 04:38 PM - Edit history (1)

The fear is that Jews would become the minority in Israel in a few decades.

Israel's birthrate is 2.89/woman. It's 3.3 in the West Bank/Gaza. Not terribly different.