US ‘highly unlikely’ to back July 1 annexation, ToI told; mapping far from done
The US administration is highly unlikely to approve an Israeli move to unilaterally annex parts of the West Bank by the July 1 date envisioned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a well-placed source told The Times of Israel on Wednesday.
In fact, it could take long weeks and possibly even several months before the joint US-Israel mapping committee concludes its work, which the White House has declared a precondition that must be met before it would give a green light for annexation, the source said.
The mapping committee is tasked with delineating the exact borders of the area Israel would apply sovereignty to — a difficult mission that requires meticulous on-the-ground-work, according to the source, who spoke to The Times of Israel on condition of anonymity.
