Egypt responds to Smotrich's annexation plans

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry responded today (Tuesday) to Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich's announcement that he has instructed settlement departments in government to prepare for annexation of Judea and Samaria, according to Israel Hayom.

Their statement said that "Smotrich's declarations reflect the Israeli tendency to reject the option of peace."

People in Prime Minister Netanyahu's circle are also preparing for the possibility of partial annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria, otherwise known as the West Bank, with a focus on areas within the national consensus: Maaleh Edumim, the Etzion Bloc, and the Jordan Valley.

Neither Donald Trump nor members of his team have commented on these plans, which hinge on the President-elect being amenable to them.