Tzipi Livni
Tzipi LivniFlash 90

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni declared on Friday that there will be no unilateral Israeli steps in Judea and Samaria so long as she is a member of the government.

Speaking to Channel 2 News’s Friday magazine, Livni was responding Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett, who said earlier he supported applying Israeli law unilaterally over the entire settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria.

Bennett was responding to comments attributed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, that he was considering taking "unilateral steps" to establish "a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state."

Livni blasted Bennett’s proposal and promised it will not come to fruition.

“It will remain on the Facebook page of Naftali Bennett, who is trying to lead Israel on a dangerous path toward a bi-national state,” she charged.

"I'm working to prevent the Bennetts from leading us irresponsibly towards a bi-national state. And Bennett really wants me to quit the government - since on that very day all his dangerous bills will become a reality,” added Livni.

"As long as I am in the government, these dangerous ideas will be implemented,” she declared. “Bennett only manages to talk, not to do."

"It's still early to find another alternative to negotiations," said Livni. "If later we will have to find another option, we will consider unilateral actions - not Bennett's dangerous initiatives, but for example the freezing of construction outside the blocs. Such a step can enlist the support of the world towards construction inside the blocs, much more than Bennett's nonsense."

During the interview with Channel 2, Livni once again defended her meeting with Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas last week, and reiterated that Netanyahu knew about the meeting in advance.

She also dismissed reports that Netanyahu reprimanded her over the meeting with Abbas and had even considered firing her, saying that her follow-up with Netanyahu after the meeting with Abbas was “a serious meeting with content, not a reprimand.”

"I believe in talking - I wanted to hear from [Abbas] about things that happened during the negotiations,” explained Livni. “I clarified my position regarding the agreement between him and Hamas, I heard from him how he views things and what he plans to do next."

“I will continue to work openly and according to my beliefs. I will continue to do openly what I think is good for Israel,” she declared.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)