Emboldened by Trump, an embattled Netanyahu pledges radical annexation move

"It’s election season, a lot can get said and he doesn’t lose anything. He’s not under pressure from the U.S. It’s a very permissive administration,” said Michael Stephens, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. “It’s good a regional climate as well as a lot of gulf Arabs are distracted with instability within themselves or Iran or Yemen. They don’t really have the energy to dedicate toward the Palestinian issue, especially if it hurts their relationship with the U.S.,” he added.