Benny Katzover
Benny KatzoverFlash 90

Benny Katzover, head of the Shomron (Samaria) Residents Council, told Arutz Sheva he is worried about how the coming March 17 elections may negatively effect Israel.

"I'm worried because in the reality today you can't know what each day will bring, the negative forces understand this is the eleventh hour in terms of the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state, and they will try to do an act of suicide and insanity; we need to worry about that because we're all part of that," said Katzover.

Noting on how the discourse of creating a Palestinian state or full autonomy has even been adopted by the large traditionally nationalist parties of Likud and Jewish Home, Katzover added "there are too many voices also in the right-wing camp who support a Palestinian state."

Speaking about the ongoing covert freeze on Jewish building in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem unofficially instituted by the last coalition government without any express demands from an outside source, Katzover said "we heard (Samaria Regional Council head) Gershon Mesika's criticism that the scope of the freeze isn't similar to any period in history."

"There isn't even the possibility today of submitting (building) plans because there is no authorization of the prime minister," continued Katzover. "There are no declarations on state land, no establishment of new communities, no building in Jerusalem, no establishment of public buildings."

Addressing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's campaign promises from the last elections, Katzover commented "this is the time to ask that the prime minister keep his promises regarding the Beit El community and other locations."

The promises of the right have become unreliable according to Katzover, who said "Netanyahu said if the Palestinians turn to the UN unilaterally that is a breach of the Oslo Accords, and we too will take unilateral steps - that didn't happen."

"And therefore I'm happy that my associates have turned to the prime minister and asked him to keep his promises; there are things we'll be able to see if they've been kept already in the coming months before the elections, such as infrastructures and roads and other stuck projects," said Katzover.

"We'll be able to see if the Civil Administration's planning council is meeting or not," he added, referencing the IDF body charged with managing construction in Judea and Samaria given that Israel still hasn't annexed the regions following the 1967 Six Day War. Netanyahu has not had the council meet, thereby stopping even the most basic planning in the region.