Oded Revivi
Oded ReviviMiriam Alster /Flash90

Efrat Council Head Oded Revivi on Monday slammed the other leaders in Judea and Samaria, blaming them for the reduction in the area expected to be included in an annexation of the area.

"The campaign of the so-called YESHA Council is not representative, and distances [us] from the possibility of applying Israeli law in Judea and Samaria, and endangers the future of the settlements," Revivi said.

According to him, "On the eve of the first day of July, it would be worthwhile to stop and take a breath, and talk about the facts. Firstly, the 'YESHA Council' did not make a decision regarding the campaign against the Trump plan - only a small group within it did."

"In addition, we are obligated to ask ourselves where we stood before the campaign, and where we are today. One month ago, the discourse was regarding applying [Israeli] law to all of the settlements - nearly 34% of Judea and Samaria's land. Now, as the campaign grew stronger, we're talking about a lot less, possibly even without the Jordan Valley. Did the campaign achieve its goals?

"We need to intelligently examine the over 50-year process which the settlements have undergone: from illegitimacy, to suffering from Oslo, Camp David, the [building] freeze, the Disengagement, and the threats to join together, to a situation in which the US President recognized it and the connection between the Jewish nation and the soil. Not only that, he wants to allow Israel to adopt it and promises an international umbrella.

"We needed to rub our eyes in order to believe it. Have we forgotten how [former US presidents Bill] Clinton and [Barak] Obama saw the 'settlers?' Now, when there is a government which requests not to uproot, but to plant roots, it faces those who have decided that he is not a friend and does not love Israel, and other things."

Revivi added: "No less important is that in the current Israeli government, there is the Labor party, and Blue and White, and the Likud, and the haredim - they are all willing, even if not wholeheartedly, to adopt the plan. Such a change of consensus among the nation was a dream for those who founded Gush Emunim. There were those who said that the Land of Israel is important, but the nation is no less important, and others who wanted to 'settle in the hearts.' With great pain, I believe that we have forgotten our ideals."

"If we had acted correctly, with a bit more modesty and wisdom, I believe that we could have achieved at least the application of [Israeli] law over approximately 34%. Now that we have made mistakes, we have reduced what we have to negotiate about, and it would be worthwhile for us in the settlements to act differently, with more wisdom and understanding of the situation, and to act to receive what we can, to apply the law where possible, and to remember that Israel's redemption comes bit by bit. They taught me that the People of Israel are not afraid of a long journey... I hope that others are not afraid."