PM Netanyahu: Map "I hope it will be completed very soon" (but no mention of
joint team)
Dr. Aaron Lerner 9 February 2020

PM Netanyahu announced that the "Israeli team has begun work" but when IMRA
asked an Israeli official in the Prime Minister's office if there was any
timeline for when the map the Israeli team completes is going to be shared
with the Americans in a joint map committee the official replied that he did
not know.

To summarize:

#1. After three years "of accelerated and joint work by the staffs,
President Trump's and mine, and of my joint work with President Trump" there
isn't a map already in place.

#2. There is no timeline for the Israeli team to complete a proposed map -
just a "hope" by Prime Minister Netanyahu that "it will be completed very
soon.""

#3. There is no timeline for the American side to study the map after it is
completed nor is there a timeline for the activity of the joint USA-Israel
map committee.

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PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of the Weekly Cabinet Meeting, 9
February
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Sunday, 9 February 2020),
at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, made the following remarks:

In Washington, on my last visit, we made history. We brought an American
plan, according to which the US will recognize our sovereignty over the
Jordan Valley, the northern Dead Sea and communities in Judea and Samaria
without exception, large and small, and the area surrounding them. This plan
is the result of accelerated and joint work by the staffs, President Trump's
and mine, and of my joint work with President Trump. This brings the main
thing, which is American recognition of our sovereignty and of the
application of the law to the territories that the plan designates as being
part of Israel.

This requires precise mapping of these territories, the entire territory. It
has a perimeter of 800 kilometer. The work has begun. The Israeli team has
begun work. The train is underway and this work will be completed. The US
and we have agreed that when the entire process will have been completed, we
will bring it to the Cabinet. However, the Americans are saying very
clearly: "We want to give you the recognition and we will give it to you
when the entire process has been completed." This recognition is the main
point. This is what we have brought; I brought it, after joint work. We do
not want to endanger this. We are working responsibly and sagaciously. To
all those tweeting from outside and even from within the government, we have
done the work. We will complete the work; therefore, the work is underway
and I hope it will be completed very soon.

....
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IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on
Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il