• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
DemocracyIran
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "Aaron David Miller"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "",
  "programs": [],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Middle East",
    "Israel"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

In The Media

To Annex or Not to Annex: What Will Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Do Next?

To move forward with annexation Netanyahu will need to persuade himself no matter how alluring and attractive the upsides that the downsides are manageable.

Link Copied
By Aaron David Miller
Published on May 13, 2020

Source: TIME

To annex or not to annex, that is indeed the question

Like a modern day Hamlet, Benjamin Netanyahu is pondering his next most critical decision.

Already the longest governing Prime Minister in Israel’s history and on the verge of starting a fifth term, Netanyahu appears to have made his choice. He recently told a group of Christian evangelicals that he was “confident” he’d be able to annex large parts of the West Bank. Indeed, the terms of his coalition agreement with his rival turned partner Benny Gantz allow him as of July 1 to introduce proposals to do precisely that.

But will he? He’s been Prime Minister now for almost a decade and a half and his support for annexation—which not coincidentally reappeared in April 2019 shortly before the first Israeli elections—has remained largely rhetorical. Netanyahu is preternaturally accomplished as a politician; and in many respects as a Prime Minister, too. But when it comes to major decisions in peace or war, he is no bold leader like Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, or Ariel Sharon...

Read Full Text

This article was originally published in TIME.

About the Author

Aaron David Miller

Senior Fellow, American Statecraft Program

Aaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, focusing on U.S. foreign policy.

    Recent Work

  • Q&A
    Is the Russia-Ukraine War Vibe Shift Real?

      Dara Massicot, Aaron David Miller, Andrew S. Weiss

  • Commentary
    Carnegie’s Summer Beach Reads
      • Steve Feldstein
      • +8

      Sophia Besch, Eric Ciaramella, Steve Feldstein, …

Aaron David Miller
Senior Fellow, American Statecraft Program
Aaron David Miller
Political ReformMiddle EastIsrael

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Russia’s Rubber-Stamp Duma Elections Are Exposing Schisms in Putin's Regime

    In the discussions made possible by the State Duma election campaign, one question is being asked more and more loudly. “What next?”

      Andrey Pertsev

  • Port cranes at sunset
    Commentary
    Emissary
    The Drone Attack on Egypt and the Widening Middle East War

    The targeting of Damietta Port appears to be more than a mere security message.

      Amr Hamzawy

  • Commentary
    Sada
    The Channels of China’s Currency Promotion in Gulf Markets

    Is the Gulf moving beyond the dollar? This article examines how China is expanding the renminbi's role across Gulf markets, what that means for regional finance, and why the future of global currencies is more complex than the de-dollarization debate suggests.

      Andrew Bonney

  • Article
    Unlocking India’s Urban Dividend

    As India undergoes a demographic transition, its cities will be its economic powerhouse—but only if it accurately captures city growth and empowers cities to support their citizens.

      • Apoorva Jadhav

      Apoorva Jadhav

  • Photo of refugee tents in Gaza housing displaced Palestinians.
    Article
    The Board of Peace Plan for Gaza

    The Trump-led board has laid out blueprints for “voluntary emigration” and land confiscation.

      • Zaha Hassan

      Zaha Hassan

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.