Gideon Sa'ar
Gideon Sa'arAvi Hayoun

MK Gideon Sa'ar (Likud), who is also a member of the Knesset's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, on Wednesday morning addressed the annual Israel mission of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Organizations.

Answering questions from the more than 100 Jewish leaders from across the USA, MK Sa’ar was asked about the importance of the Deal of the Century, and the challenge Israel faces in seeing the plan implemented while it was not able to form a government.

MK Sa’ar reiterated, “We have a very important opportunity to implement sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and areas of Judea and Samaria.” He added, “It is better to be coordinated with the American administration.”

He went on to say, “I hope we will have a right-wing government after the elections, so we will be able to grasp this opportunity. I cannot see how a left-wing government - supported by parties who reject the idea of Jewish or even Israeli sovereignty over these areas - will be able to implement sovereignty, and promote this important step.”

On the issue of the potential creation of a Palestinian state, Sa'ar clarified, “This plan is better than previous plans of previous administrations, or the international community - anything we have seen over the last decades. But I must emphasize that a Palestinian state just a few miles from Israeli population centers is not part of my vision. Isolated Jewish settlements in the middle of Palestinian territory is not part of my vision. The Palestinians have rejected the peace plan. They are committed to continuing to pay terrorists salaries and so on. There is nothing to be gained from a non-functional, non-viable state in the middle of Israel’s heartland.”

On the issue of Iran, MK Sa’ar told the delegates, “It is very clear Iran is breaching the JCPOA, they are doing it gradually, and this is one of the ways they are trying to challenge America.” He added, “Sanctions are very effective. Anyone following the Iranian economy can see they are in a very bad situation - all macroeconomic trends are decreasing.”