The chairman of the Israel Democratic Party, Ehud Barak, on Tuesday evening visited the outskirts of the city of Ariel and declared that his party would act to determine the permanent borders of the State of Israel within two years of the establishment of the government.
"In the face of the Kahanist vision of the Netanyahu government and the recent remarks by Minister Peretz that speak of Jewish apartheid in Judea and Samaria, we propose a different vision and promise that within two years of the establishment of a government that the State of Israel will have a border that will cover all of our security interests," Barak said.
"This is a border that will contain a solid Jewish majority for generations and will prevent the need to annex millions of Palestinians to the State of Israel. The settlement blocs will be included in this border - Gush Etzion, Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Ze'ev, Ariel and Kedumim, as well as the old border of '67,” he added.
"Beyond this border, there will be an area where, when the conditions are ripe, a Palestinian state will be established. Security control of the entire area up to the Jordan River will remain in Israel's hands for the foreseeable future. If we have to, we will do it unilaterally," Barak declared.
He claimed that the Netanyahu government was harming relations with the countries in the region and said that his plan would help encourage these relations.
"We want to revive the regional arrangement that the Netanyahu government has been fomenting in recent years. It is torpedoed because Israel does not summon the courage to discuss borders and an arrangement with the Palestinians."