Gershon HaCohen
Gershon HaCohenEliran Aharon

In an interview on radio 103FM, journalist Erel Segal and former director of Peace Now, Yariv Oppenheimer, spoke to Maj. Gen. (Res.) Gershon HaCohen of the right-wing "Bitchonistim" movement of high-level IDF officers. Gershon explained why the application of Israeli sovereignty made sense from both the political and security standpoint and voiced his optimism about the possibility, stating that the Jewish people are "here to stay" and that "Trump's plan allows us to put a foot in the door." In the meantime, Oppenheimer objected to the idea, saying: "It's a political move that doesn't have anything to do with [state] security."

Also today, Salah al-'Aruri, Hamas's second in command, warned that Israel's annexing parts of Judea and Samaria would result in the outbreak of another intifada.

In an interview with Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen, Aruri said the intifada would erupt in response to the "Zionist occupation" and that Hamas had already taken steps to set off such a reaction.

'Aruri warned that a return to Arab terrorism in Judea and Samaria was a distinct possibility and that it could begin afresh sooner than people expected.

The man linked to a number of terrorist attacks claiming the lives of IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians said that Israel's encroachment of "red lines" in Jerusalem would inflame the region similar to the way Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount had done prior to the Second Intifada in 2000. "Jerusalem cannot become a Jewish city. It is the heart of Islam and Arabism and the heart of our dilemma," he stated.