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Will Israel learn from its past leaders when it comes to annexation?

The July 1 deadline is too short a period for a learning curve and Israel’s leaders will wait until the last minute to decide whether to go for a small or large annexation — or none.
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As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposed date for annexing parts of the West Bank quickly approaches, there has been talk of Israeli leaders trying to meet with Jordanian officials to discuss moving forward with any decision. Yet increasing evidence indicates Amman may reject any negotiations — whether the planned annexation is big or small.

Over the years, Israeli officials have noted that what they see when they are in power is much different than what they expected when they were in the opposition. To many, this explained Menachem Begin's agreement to make peace with Egypt and give up the Sinai Peninsula, and it was also used to explain Ariel Sharon’s reversal on his position on Gaza settlements — which he had earlier said are the same as Tel Aviv, only to agree later to dismantle them and withdraw from the Gaza Strip.

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