Levin: The big decision in 24-72 hours

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz is Joe Biden’s guy. His top campaign adviser was an Obama hack. Gantz is trying to delay the implementation of the Trump plan in hopes that President Trump is defeated. He’s doing the bidding of the left and Democrat Party, not to mention organizations hostile to Israel such as the EU and UN. He’s another ex-general, much like a few of our own ex-generals, who is quite liberal.

Gantz must not have veto power over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who embraced the Trump plan and won re-election, in part, by campaigning on it. Netanyahu is extremely popular in Israel today. Gantz is not and has minimal political clout as his party only has 15 of 120 Knesset members.

Even more, the administration negotiated this agreement and needs to execute it without further delay and changing conditions. I don’t want to see the president’s efforts thwarted now, and the dispiriting of important parts of his political base. There’s no reason to dither. Besides, this is morally and historically the right thing to do.

Moreover, Israel’s not “annexing” anything. The land designated in the agreement has belonged to the Jews for well over 3,000 years. They’re the indigenous people of Judea and Samaria. And the agreement focuses on only 30% of that area, where over 500,000 Jews are living, and the Jordan Valley. This is a matter of right-to-return and sovereignty, not annexation. As I’ve said before, you don’t annex your own land.

Finally, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the other Arab states will not turn on Israel despite their propaganda to the contrary, as their existential enemy is Iran. They need Israel to help protect them from Iran more than Israel needs them. And this isn’t about their land and security anyway. It’s about Israel’s.