Former Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) visited Beit El in the Benjamin Region Thursday and met with Council Chairman Shai Alon and the residents of Beit El.
Alon thanked Steinitz for arranging electricity for the Mishkenot Beit El neighborhood: "After many efforts by all council members, we were able to provide our residents with a proper electricity supply. I thank MK Yuval Steinitz for being the energy minister who promoted the procedure with the electricity company. Now the residents of the neighborhood will enjoy a good and unlimited supply of electricity, as in any normal place in Israel. We will continue to take care of our residents in all areas."
Steinitz spoke to Arutz Sheva and said that he did not feel the need to be thanked because he felt that his job was to provide electricity and water to all residents of Israel.
"I am happy to be hosted tonight in Beit El together with the head of the council, Shai Alon, and I am happy to see a serious problem of electricity supply to an entire neighborhood, solved at least partially. Every other citizen in the State of Israel enjoys a regular supply of electricity and water and all the other things. So today I am no longer the Energy Minister , but if I did good things a year or a year and a half ago, then it is good to remember them," said Steinitz.
Asked if he fears the new government will make decisions that will hurt the settlements in Judea and Samaria, Steinitz replied, "I very much hope not. I already see with concern the building permits for very many and thousands of housing units for Palestinians in Area C. This is something that did not happen in the previous government, and we see the forces in the government talking about a construction freeze and we very much hope it is not so. We will do everything to shout and protest and make it so such mistakes not radiate."
Steinitz responded to Netanyahu's remarks that after the budget passes the opposition would disintegrate, "I think the government will disintegrate first. I do not know when if it will take half a year, a year, or a year and a half, but it is an impossible government. Bennett with six seats can not really lead the government."
As an example and proof, Steinitz cites Bennett's statement that he will not meet with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, "Two months ago, Bennett announced that he would not negotiate with Abbas and would not even meet with him as long as he filed lawsuits against Israel in the International Court of Justice in The Hague."
''A week later, both Defense Minister Ganz and Meretz ministers made a pilgrimage to meet with Abbas in Ramallah. This is not what a government looks like. It cannot be that a prime minister says that it is forbidden to meet with Abbas and that some of his ministers are meeting with him. Therefore it is an impossible government. It is illegitimate, even though it is completely legal, and we hope to replace it soon," Steinitz said.