Israel puts brakes on West Bank annexation plan

By Isabel Kershner Shortly after last week’s rollout of the US’ contentious Middle East plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government made a triumphant promise that the Cabinet would vote this weekend to extend Israeli sovereignty over substantial parts of the occupied West Bank. But it looks as if the Israelis misread the signals from Washington. The White House, while fully supportive of Netanyahu, was not ready to endorse an immediate unilateral annexation. In the days following Tuesday’s unveiling of the plan in Washington, the Trump administration urged Netanyahu to delay any effective annexation of territory at least until after the March 2 Israeli elections. It was a request...