Bezalel Smotrich
Bezalel SmotrichHillel Meir/ TPS

Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich (United Right), who also serves as a member of Israel's Diplomatic-Security Cabinet, demanded Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu call a Knesset discussion on the issue of Palestinian Authority (PA) Arabs taking over sections of Area C.

Under the Oslo Accords, Judea and Samaria were divided into three parts: Area A is under full Palestinian Authority civil and security control. Area B is under PA civil control, while Israel controls security. Area C is under full Israeli civil and security control. While Arabs live in all three areas, Jews are confined to Area C only, and accidentally entering Area A presents a risk to a Jew's life.

"Newspapers reported that the Likud party ordered its members to remove their signatures from the request to hold this meeting," Smotrich wrote to Netanyahu.

He added that the takeover is a "planned strategy subsidized by various bodies who do not seek out the good of Israel, to say the least."

"We, as a right-wing government which aims to implement right-wing policies, are obligated to respond to this via our own government plan. The discussion will center around denunciation of the PA and creating a national consensus regarding the need to act against this dangerous takeover.

"Both those who oppose a Palestinian state and those who support it cannot agree to a situation in which the Palestinian Authority creates facts and borders on the ground in a unilateral and illegal move.

"There is no question that in the current framework, a Knesset discussion can help and offer significant support for every action which we, as the government, decide to take. I therefore call on you to order the Likud party secretariat to encourage its members to sign the request. And better sooner than later."