Chairman Avigdor Lieberman of the Yisrael Beyteinu party said, Thursday, "Whoever sees the scope of the takeover of Negev and Galilee land by non-Zionist entities understands that settlement activity in the area is critical to the continued existence of the state of Israel from a national standpoint."
Speaking during a Settlement Forum tour of the middle Arava area near Israel's southern border with Jordan, Lieberman also said, "Since the days of 'Wall and Tower' [communities], the substantive debate over land control has not changed. Last week's hate speech of Member of Knesset [Jamal] Zahalka that "Zionist colonialism is taking over Palestinian land," proves that if Israel gives up agricultural settlement activity, we will lose the state's national character."