Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu caved to foreign pressure this week and shelved plans to discuss Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. The United Arab Emirates threatened to blow up the Abraham Accords if Israel moved forward with annexation talks. This is exactly the kind of weak leadership that emboldens Israel’s enemies and abandons the Jewish people’s biblical birthright.
The UAE called annexation a “red line” and warned it would destroy their peace deal with Israel. Instead of standing firm, Netanyahu folded like a cheap suit and canceled Thursday’s government meeting on the topic. Now the meeting will only discuss security issues while Europe prepares to recognize a terrorist Palestinian state at the UN.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had the right idea when he called for annexing 82 percent of the West Bank. These are the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria that belong to the Jewish people by divine right and historical claim. But international bullies scared Netanyahu into backing down from what should be a slam dunk decision.
Defense officials are warning that the West Bank could “erupt instantly” if Israel pushes forward with annexation. This is the same failed thinking that has kept Israel under constant threat for decades. Appeasement never works with terrorists and their supporters.
European countries are planning to recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly this month. This is a direct attack on Israel’s right to exist and a reward for decades of Palestinian terrorism. Where was this urgency when Hamas was butchering innocent Israelis on October 7th.
The Abraham Accords were supposed to bring peace and stability to the Middle East. Instead, they’ve become another tool for Arab nations to control Israeli policy and prevent the Jewish state from securing its own borders. Real allies don’t threaten to abandon you when you try to protect your people.
Netanyahu has already faced criticism for his “Greater Israel” comments that upset Jordan and Egypt. He was forced to issue a humiliating clarification saying Israel has no territorial claims against Arab neighbors. This kind of weakness only invites more pressure and demands from hostile nations.
America needs to stand with Israel’s right to govern its biblical homeland without interference from foreign powers. The Jewish people have waited 2,000 years to return to their promised land, and no Arab nation or European bureaucrat should dictate where they can live. It’s time for real leadership that puts Israel’s security first, not foreign approval ratings.
