Palestinians have little leverage against Israeli annexation
Amid Benjamin Netanyahu’s election victory and their deeply entrenched divisions, the Palestinians seem to have little chance to stand firm in the face of Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The victory of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party in the April 9 elections comes much to the dismay of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and leaves it with a lot to lose.
Following initial election results, PLO Secretary General Saeb Erekat tweeted April 9, "Israelis have voted to maintain the status quo, as far as the occupation of Palestine. They voted for apartheid, and [for] an endless occupation. Exit polls show that only 18 members of the 120-seat Knesset support two states [based] on the 1967 borders."
The Israeli media discussed and analyzed the PA’s dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s victory, though some PA officials claimed to have no favorite candidate.
In an article published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Israeli journalist Yoni Ben Menachem wrote that the PA was deeply disappointed and frustrated with the results of the Israeli elections, as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fears that Netanyahu will impose Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank.
