The head of the Samaria (Shomron) Residents’ Committee, Benny Katzover, predicted on Wednesday that the partnership between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Hatnua chairwoman Tzipi Livni will cause many problems for the Jewish settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria.
The coalition agreement between the Likud Beytenu and Livni’s party “is a worrying move designed to raise again the flag of the peace process while running away from issues such as equal burden of service and social issues,” Katzover told Arutz Sheva.
"Livni supports a construction freeze except in the so-called ‘settlement blocs'. It once again places question marks over the future of 150 thousand Jews and over 95 percent of the areas of Judea and Samaria. The Americans are not stupid; they will also demand that Israel take operative measures,” he added.
Katzover said Netanyahu and Livni are Siamese twins, adding, “They want to promote a process that will establish a terror base in Judea and Samaria and that will threaten Tel Aviv.”
He said that he believes that, like Ehud Barak in the previous government, Livni will play the role of the “bad cop” who places obstacles in the way of the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria.
“She will ward off any attempt to make changes in the law. She will cook up agreements with the Americans, and push for building freezes and concession of lands,” predicted Katzover.
He said that, in light of the present circumstances, the Bayit Yehudi party has no choice other than to strengthen its alliance with Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party.
"After this was done, the Bayit Yehudi has no choice but to continue in its path, otherwise we might be kept out of the government,” said Katzover. “Moreover, the hareidim have said they will support such processes. They prefer to wave the diplomatic flag so that the issue of equal burden will not hurt them.”