GOVERNMENT MINISTERS APPROVE BILL TO ANNEX JORDAN VALLEY

A positive step made in effort to prove they're in favor of ensuring control of a vital part of Israel:

The government may be on the way to annexing the Jordan Valley, with the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approving a bill to that effect Sunday.

The proposal by MK Miri Regev (Likud Beytenu) would apply Israeli law to the area, significantly limiting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni in peace talks.

If the bill becomes law, Netanyahu would be unable to accept the American offer to put the Jordan Valley and border crossings into Jordan under Palestinian control, with IDF soldiers posted at the border and the US providing additional security.

An offer the public doesn't need, nor does Netanyahu, who shouldn't be making deals with the Obama administration that could hurt Israel.

"The ministerial committee's approval of this bill now, when there are talks with the Palestinians, is a clear statement by the government that the towns in the Jordan Valley are a strategic and security asset of the State of Israel that must stay in our hands," Regev said.

According to Regev, the Jordan Valley is the "safety belt" on the eastern border.

Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar worked to convince the committee to approve the bill, saying "there is no separation between settlement and security, and the Jordan Valley is a consensus among Israeli citizens. There's nothing wrong with everyone knowing that the Jordan Valley will remain Israeli in any final status agreement."

Unfortunately, Yesh Atid is against this bill, along with Tzipi Livni's party and a certain PLO dictator:

Livni, Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Health Minister Yael German said they would submit an appeal of the vote. [...]

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the bill, telling Ma'an the vote in favor of it shows Israel's "indifference" to international law, as well as undermining US Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts for peace.

What about his indifference and hatred of us? This is also a reason why, if Yesh Atid loses support in the next election, it won't be such a bad thing.

Update: on a semi-related note, Nadav Shragai tells why it's crucial now to build in Jerusalem.