Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday was evacuated from the pre-election meeting in the city of Ashdod, where he announced plans to annex the Jordan Valley, after air-raid sirens went off, the Israel Defense Forces' press service said
TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2019) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday was evacuated from the pre-election meeting in the city of Ashdod, where he announced plans to annex the Jordan Valley, after air-raid sirens went off, the Israel Defense Forces' press service said.
The pre-election meeting gathered the activists and supporters of the centre-right Likud party. During the meeting, Netanyahu made a post-election promise to establish Israel's sovereignty over northern part of the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley, a region located on the border between the West Bank and Jordan.
The announcement has already triggered criticism from Palestinians blaming Netanyahu for undermining peace process.
For decades, Israel has been in conflict with Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli government has refused to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and continues to build settlements in the occupied areas despite objections from the United Nations.
The snap election to Knesset, the Israeli 120-seated parliament, is scheduled to take place on September 17. The election was called as Netanyahu failed to form a government following previous election in April.
