Israel: After US policy reversal, Netanyahu approves Jordan Valley annexation bill

After the Donald Trump administration announced that the US no longer considers Israeli settlements in West Bank as violating the international law, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved Tuesday's advancement of a bill to apply Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Likud MK Sharren Haskel proposed the annexation bill weeks ago, but decided to fast-track it in light of the change in US policy.

"The bill has the Prime Minister's full backing," Haskel was quoted as saying.

The Israeli Prime Minister in the run-up to September 17 election, had announced that he would annex Jordan Valley if re-elected.

The Jerusalem Post in its report stated that his cabinet voted to legalize the Mevo'ot Yeriho outpost in the Jordan Valley as a new settlement.

Earlier, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said, "After carefully studying all sides of the legal debate, this administration agrees with President Reagan. The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law.