Religious Zionist Party chief MK Bezalel Smotrich is calling on the Israeli government to rebuild one of the four Israeli towns evacuated in northern Samaria 16 years ago, declaring that the reestablishment of the town will be one of the party’s conditions for joining a new right-wing government.
Speaking at a special Independence Day event at Sa-Nur in northern Samaria Thursday afternoon, Smotrich vowed to condition his support for a new Likud-led government on its agreement to rebuild Sa-Nur.
“In this government’s coalition agreements there will be a clause requiring the Government of Israel to approve building permits and renewed funding for the establishment of the town of Sa-Nur. That will be the first act to rectify the crimes [done to northern Samaria] and to develop and build our beloved Land of Israel,” Smotrich said.
Sa-Nur was one of four Israeli towns in northern Samaria which were evacuated by the Ariel Sharon government in 2005 as part of the Disengagement plan, which also evacuated all of Israel’s towns in the Gaza Strip.
Smotrich also doubled down on his refusal to back a government which relies on the support of the Islamist United Arab List (Ra’am).
“We need to be unequivocal…I am announcing here, in Sa-Nur, that we will oppose anyone who thinks that he can form a government which will make the State of Israel dependent on its enemies and terrorist supporters.”