Israel to annex Maale Adumim, Israeli majority approves

A wide majority of Israelis, including those both on the left and right, favor Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim, according to a new poll conducted by the Midgam Israeli polling firm.

A whopping 78% of Israeli Jews say they support the annexation of Maale Adumim even without a final status agreement with the Palestinian Authority, along the same lines as Israel’s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, Israel National News said.

The vast majority of respondents favored annexation even if Israel would be pay a steep political cost for the move, with 70% of Israelis saying sovereignty should be applied to Maale Adumim regardless of the consequences.

The poll also found that 88% of Israelis believe that residents of Maale Adumim should have the same rights and benefits enjoyed by other Israeli citizens, and therefore Israeli law should be fully applied to the area.

The Land of Israel Lobby in the Knesset, which includes 20 MKs from various right-wing and religious parties, has pledged to draw up a bill for the annexation of Maale Adumim during the upcoming summer session.

Ma’ali Adummim settlement is situated 7 kilometers east of Jerusalem, and was illegally built inside the West Bank. Today it is one of Israel’s biggest settlements. 

Source: PNN