Public officials waging the battle for Jewish sovereignty in Judea and Samaria took a firm stand today on multiple fronts, in light of the perception that Prime Minister Netanyahu feels pressured by the US to make concessions to the Palestinian Arabs.
At a Likud faction meeting earlier today, Netanyahu emphasized the fact that Israel does not have a “blank check” from the US, and said that Israel must act with “discretion” in the political sphere due to US pressure.
“We must act with great discretion as well as with responsibility - especially now,” Netanyahu emphasized. “You heard President Trump; he came here and did very important things and touched the heart - but he also said that he believes that Abbas wants peace. He said that I want peace and he said that he believes that it’s possible to come to an agreement and that we must come to one. This is the situation we’re in.”
His words came even as a Channel 2 report indicated yesterday that Trump had, in fact, blasted Abbas during their meeting in Bethlehem last week for having “tricked” him about the PA’s support for terror.
In light of these developments, Channel 2 reported that Samaria Council head Yossi Dagan wasted no time and turned to officials in Washington, calling on them not to pressure Netanyahu into making concessions to the Palestinian Arabs.
“If you pressure him too much, he will fall,” Dagan reportedly told the officials.
In the meantime, on the Israeli front, Dagan turned today to cabinet ministers with a request that they vote again on an incentive package to Palestinian Arabs that was passed as a gesture to the US shortly before Trump’s visit to Israel. Among other things, the package allows for increased Arab building in Israeli-controlled Area C.
“This was a cabinet decision, which was made secretly with minimal deliberations, about giving at least a whole percentage of Area C. Not officially, but practically speaking, it effectively relinquishes our building rights. It’s giving away land in disguise. [The sort of thing] left-wing governments would do blatantly,” he said.
He added, “I say to the government that, if you think this is right, make a big ceremony in Washington on the lawn of the White House. But to go and do it secretly, when the ministers don’t know in advance about the decision, is something serious, and I call on the government, the Prime Minister, the cabinet ministers, to be forthright with the public and with us, your constituents, and make a revision.”
“Vote again on this matter,” he said.
Similarly, Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely said, “We must oppose change and transfer of land to the Palestinians in this area. The government of Israel has abandoned the approach of Oslo with respect to Area C, and it holds by Jewish settlement and not retreat.”