Detrimental to Israeli security

Unilateral annexation violates Israel’s commitments under the 1993 Oslo Accords and undermines an already weak Palestinian Authority (PA). It will threaten Israeli security cooperation with the Palestinian Authority, either through an official cessation of cooperation or through a de facto reality when Palestinian security forces no longer show up to work.  If Palestinian security coordination ceases to be effective, Hamas will be well positioned to fill this vacuum, and the IDF will need to scale up its policing and security forces in the West Bank, leaving Israel vulnerable on other fronts in need of reinforcement.

 

This scenario could also lead to a full reoccupation of the West Bank, including all Palestinian population centres currently under PA administration. The outlined domino effect would trigger a violent response from Palestinians who have given up hope for a diplomatic process, paving the way for an era of extremism and destabilisation in the West Bank and Gaza — leaving Israel with no exit strategy.

 

Furthermore, unilateral annexation threatens decades-long peace and stability with Egypt and Jordan, discussed further under the section on regional strategic relationships.