Much like every week, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walked into the Likud faction’s room in the Knesset on Feb. 12, a group of party activists was waiting for him there. It is, after all, a matter of routine. This time, however, the prime minister made a point of spending more time with each and every one of them than he usually does. It was right before the Israeli Police released its recommendations regarding investigations into his affairs, so it was especially important that Netanyahu get a boost of support from within his own party.
Just a few moments later, journalists and photographers were asked to leave the room. Then the prime minister surprised the members of his faction by telling them that he had been in contact with the US administration over Israel’s annexation of parts of the West Bank. “On the subject of applying sovereignty, I can say that I have been talking to the Americans about it for some time,” Netanyahu said reportedly, sharing the momentous news. He then explained that the entire move must be conducted in coordination with the Americans, because “our relationship with them is a strategic asset for the State of Israel, but also for the settlement enterprise.”
