And why not?

In 2005, Israel, then under the leadership of the late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, made the unilateral decision to disengage Israel from Gaza. The process was painful and difficult.

There was the hope that the Palestinian residents of Gaza would take the land left for them and make the space into a cooperative neighbor of Israel. The opposite has indeed happened. With Hamas in control of Gaza, Israel has been in two military engagements, destroyed tunnels and has been forced to adopt the term “Code Red” in its southern Negev communities.

One may question PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s timing, tying it into the September 17 elections, but with the Trump administration preparing to announce its “Deal of the Century” peace plan, annexing the Jordan Valley is in Israel’s best interests.

The strategic, economic and even religious significance of the Jordan Valley to a safe, secure Israeli future would be ensured with this area annexed. As with the reasons for which the Jewish state annexed the Golan Heights, the reasons for annexing the Jordan Valley are reasonable.

With the exception of the United States, the world seems to have forgotten that in 1967 Israel was attacked in the west over the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt and from the east by Jordan. Where? The attack on Israel came through the Jordan Valley.

Yes, there is a difference between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. Perhaps Israel would think differently had post-2005 Gaza become a peaceful partner of Israel. That wasn’t to be. So Israel has every reason to insist on the security of its future generations. It does not need the acceptance of the rest of the world, only its closest ally, the United States.

No matter who wins or loses at the ballot box, Israel needs to guarantee its own security.

The annexation of this part of Judea and Samaria is prudent and should be highly considered by the Israeli public.

Why not?