
Binyamin Governor and Yesha Council Head Yisrael Ganz called for an investigation of the incident last night in which two Israelis were reportedly shot by an Israel Police officer.
"I am currently not in the country, but let me be clear: we do not accept anyone taking the law into their own hands and harming others. This is something I am very firm on," Ganz stated in an interview with 103FM. He added, "This is a matter that requires police attention if such incidents occur. There is no legitimacy for anyone to harm another, regardless of who they are."
According to him, "I understand that this is a very serious incident that needs investigation. The Israeli police are looking into it, as are other authorities, so I can't give an opinion on a specific event. But one thing is clear - there is no legitimacy for anyone to take the law into their own hands and harm others. This is unacceptable all around. There's no question about it as far as I'm concerned."
He also shared his thoughts on President Trump's inauguration. "There are mixed feelings. There’s a sense of relief because the previous administration imposed sanctions on Israelis and Trump is canceling these sanctions. I am sure this will strengthen Israel. One of the reasons we are here is to strengthen Judea and Samaria, and we hope Donald Trump will reinforce this approach."
Ganz likewise was confident that Trump was committed to the hostages. "I was moved at the inauguration when the president had families of hostages standing behind him. This is both heartening and emotional and I am confident he will strengthen the State of Israel."
"He didn't go into specifics, but when he places a row of families of hostages behind him and allows his envoy in the Middle East to speak, he plans to address this issue as a main topic of concern."
He also praised Trump's first wave of administrative orders. "The previous administration imposed sanctions on Israelis, and President Trump announced on his first day in office that he would cancel them."
He stressed that this is not an action that solely concerns Judea and Samaria: "This is not related to the settlements at all. Sanctions were imposed on the Tzav 9, which is a group that organized demonstrations against humanitarian aid to Gaza; sanctions against MKs and ministers and construction companies not associated with violence were considered."
Ganz called on the Israeli government to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria: "There is no way to do this without applying Israeli law, providing electricity, water, and education. More than 8% of the population lives in Judea and Samaria, amounting to 550,000 Israelis. This is our expectation and our demand from the government ministers and the Prime Minister. We will do everything to ensure the US administration backs this. Most of them understand the reality and believe it is the right thing to do."
Indeed, Ganz estimates new diplomatic initiatives will emerge from the new Trump administration: "About four years ago, when the president launched the Deal of the Century, I personally opposed it. I believe after October 7, everyone in the USA understands that a terror state in the heart of Israel is an existential threat, hence I estimate that we will see initiatives in other directions, hopefully better for Israel and less risky."
However, he noted that the person responsible for Israeli policy is not the US President: "I think the main responsibility lies with the Prime Minister and not President Trump. We met many from his administration today, but the one responsible is Benjamin Netanyahu and his government."
"If the Prime Minister of Israel thinks something is bad for Israel, he must say no. Certainly, the Prime Minister of Israel cannot hide behind the US President. One of the main reasons I am here is to strengthen the settlement and apply Israeli law. We will do everything to make sure Trump's people support this approach," Ganz stated.