The motion, which 71 members voted for and 13 against (36 were absent), describes the West Bank occupied by Israel as an "indivisible part of the Jews' historical, cultural and spiritual homeland". The vote took place at the end of July.
Israel's government has a vision of a Greater Israel. The same people are talking about relocating the population of Gaza, says Sommer.
Higher tempo
Last year, Israel demolished a record number of Palestinian buildings on the West Bank, Israel's government stated in April. At the same time, the establishment of Jewish settlements has been stepped up.
In May, Israel approved 22 new settlements, which is the largest expansion in 30 years, according to the Israeli Peace Now. The organization believes that Israel has prepared for a de facto annexation by transferring legal powers from Israel's military to settlement-friendly civil servants.
Ghassan Khatib, a political scientist at Birzeit University and former minister in the Palestinian Authority (PA), describes the development on the West Bank as a "silent war" that is ongoing while the world's attention is focused on Gaza.
It is a golden opportunity for Israel. There are discussions about what the next step will be. One of the possibilities being discussed is to start by annexing Area C (the largest area on the West Bank, which is already controlled by Israel), he says.
Want to "maximize settlements”
In May, Israel's security cabinet decided to introduce "land registration" in Area C, which is expected to make it more difficult for Palestinians to prove their land rights.
The process involves the official registration of ownership, where land without a documented ownership claim is transferred to the Israeli state. At the same time, the cabinet ordered a stop to a parallel registration process that the Palestinian Authority (PA) had begun.
Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has himself described the decision as a step towards de facto annexing the area and has previously said that his life goal is to "undo the establishment of a Palestinian state".
The problem with some parts of Area C is that they are densely populated. Israel only wants to annex land. So they focus on minimizing the Palestinian population and maximizing Jewish settlements, says Khatib.
Cornelia Mikaelsson/TT
Facts: Motion to annex the West Bank
TT
Today, around half a million Jewish settlers live on the occupied West Bank, as well as around three million Palestinians.
According to the UN, the settlements are illegal and an obstacle to a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
An annexation would make a two-state solution impossible and violate international law, according to the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.
In the Knesset vote on annexing the West Bank, the ruling right-wing coalition received support from some opposition representatives. 71 members voted yes and 13 no, while 36 were absent.
The vote is not binding and does not affect the legal status of the Palestinian territory, but has great symbolic value.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Source: Swedish Institute of International Affairs
