MK Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beytenu) came out against the words of the Chairman of his party, Avigdor Liberman allowing for so-called “Palestinian refugees” to be absorbed into areas of Judea and Samaria but not into areas inside the 1967 borders.
“We do not touch the refugee issue, the refugees need to stay where they are,” Ilatov said in an interview on Army Radio.
At the moment, it is unclear whether Liberman has changed his position in light of Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett’s statements on the matter on Friday or whether Ilatov’s statements are simply an expression of his personal opinion.
It will be remembered that Liberman wrote on his Facebook page: “"Let it be clear about an arrangement with the Palestinians - we will not agree that even one refugee will return to the 1967 borders. If they want to receive them in Shechem, Hevron or Qalqilya – let them do so."
Bennett responded: “No, Evet, this is a grave mistake, and we will not allow it. No descendant of a Palestinian refugee will cross the Jordan into the land of Israel. Whoever brings millions of descendants of Palestinian refugees to Judea and Samaria will destroy the Jewish majority that we have achieved between the sea and the Jordan River."
“They live in Lebanon? Let them become citizens there. They live in Egypt or Jordan? Let them become citizens there. Let me remind you that in the War of Independence, 650,000 Jewish refugees who had been expelled from Arab countries were created. They arrived in Israel and immediately became Israeli citizens. The problem of the descendants of the Palestinian refugees will be solved at their place of residence (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, etc.), not between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. There is enough land in the Arab countries (300 times more than Israel!) and there is no need to bring them here,” continued Bennett.
"Bringing in millions of Palestinians to Qalqiliya on Highway 6 is a demographic and security disaster. Therefore Evet: No refugee will cross the Jordan. Neither the 1967 borders nor the 1948 borders," he added.