
MK Bezalel Smotrich (Jewish Home) would like his fellow Jewish Home MKs to demand that the government take a series of tough steps in response to Arab terror, and make clear that if the government does not do so, the faction will stop voting with the Coalition.
Smotrich argued that the Cabinet decisions that have been made so far are no more than recycled versions of old policies.
"We are in the midst pf a meaningful and strategic event that requires a proper Zionist response, including a complete resetting of government thinking," he said.
"Beyond taking steps on the security and diplomacy levels, the construction freeze in Judea and Samaria needs to be stopped and the Edmund Levy Report [that determines that Judea and Samaria are legally Israel's – ed.] must be adopted. All of the Fatah terrorists released in the latest gestures must be re-imprisoned."
"All the decisions made in the Cabinet sessions, to destroy terrorists' homes, are recycled versions of past decisions," he stressed.
"We are members of a Coalition that belongs to the entire Nation of Israel," the rookie MK said. "The nation gave a mandate to create a clear policy that will not grovel, which will build, and that will fight terror. I am not threatening, but I know that this is the opinion of many faction members; that we cannot continue to say – 'what was past, will continue to be.' We must ascertain that the government will implement the policy that the nation expects us to follow."
Smotrich mentioned the threats issued by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, Chairman of Kulanu, who threatened the Coalition in order to get his way on policy matters.
"Just as Kahlon knew how to threaten, the Jewish Home needs to demand, from the prime Minister, the cancellation of the construction freeze. This is my personal opinion and I know it is the opinion of additional faction members. We must exert political pressure and we must obligate the Prime Minister to act accordingly."
On a visit to Samaria Tuesday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that the security forces would be adopting "active defense" along the roads.
"A significant portion of the attacks are taking place along main roads and we have agreed here on a very serious plan in which we will deploy ground and aerial cameras on all roads in Judea and Samaria, with command and control centers, communication centers and fast response times. This change can significantly enhance our ability to thwart such attacks and of course to locate the perpetrators. This is a very, very important element in restoring security."
"We also demand very sharp action against incitement, including its sources, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority – but first and foremost the source of incitement in recent years is the Islamic Movement in the State of Israel," the prime minister vowed. "We will act against it as well. With all these measures, I think we will achieve important results and I think we can break this wave, as we broke previous waves."