Justice Minister Yosef Lapid (Shinui) told the Herzliya Conference today (Thursday) that the Jewish residents of Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) "in their heart of hearts dream of transfer.”
Lapid was not referring to the proposed transfer of Jews out of Judea and Samaria, but to the “transfer of Palestinians to the [Eastern] bank of the Jordan [river].” Lapid called such a proposal, “not only barbaric but also utterly impossible."
Lapid proceeded to claim that Yesha’s Jewish population controlled the Israeli government. "Even though Israel is an exemplary democracy,” Lapid said, “it is de facto controlled by a small minority of Yesha settlers who represent a minority within the settlers themselves.”
Lapid also called for the peace process to be speeded up, and if need be to unilaterally withdraw from certain areas, citing, among other reasons, the development of nuclear weapons by Iran and Pakistan, as well as the demographic problem posed by PA Arabs.
The Justice Minister continued to lambaste the Jews of Yesha, taking a cynical tone toward the recent rise in North American Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel). "Their answer to the demographic problem is for another million immigrants to arrive in the country, although no one knows from where," he said.
Lapid made the comments about demographics a day after Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel’s demographic threat comes from its Israeli Arab population, not the Arabs of Yesha.
"If there is a demographic problem, and there is, it is with the Israeli Arabs who will remain Israeli citizens," Netanyahu said, adding that efforts must be made to attract Jewish immigrants.
The Yesha Council responded to Lapid’s comments saying, “If the Jews of Yesha had even a 1/4 of the influence attributed by Lapid we would have been able to prevent the disaster that was the Oslo Accords and put an end to the proposals for unilateral retreat put forward by Lapid.”
“The most tragic aspect of Lapid’s speech,” said the Council, “is that Lapid can call the idea of transferring Arabs ‘barbaric’ and a minute later advocate the expulsion of Jews from their homes.”
Lapid was not referring to the proposed transfer of Jews out of Judea and Samaria, but to the “transfer of Palestinians to the [Eastern] bank of the Jordan [river].” Lapid called such a proposal, “not only barbaric but also utterly impossible."
Lapid proceeded to claim that Yesha’s Jewish population controlled the Israeli government. "Even though Israel is an exemplary democracy,” Lapid said, “it is de facto controlled by a small minority of Yesha settlers who represent a minority within the settlers themselves.”
Lapid also called for the peace process to be speeded up, and if need be to unilaterally withdraw from certain areas, citing, among other reasons, the development of nuclear weapons by Iran and Pakistan, as well as the demographic problem posed by PA Arabs.
The Justice Minister continued to lambaste the Jews of Yesha, taking a cynical tone toward the recent rise in North American Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel). "Their answer to the demographic problem is for another million immigrants to arrive in the country, although no one knows from where," he said.
Lapid made the comments about demographics a day after Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel’s demographic threat comes from its Israeli Arab population, not the Arabs of Yesha.
"If there is a demographic problem, and there is, it is with the Israeli Arabs who will remain Israeli citizens," Netanyahu said, adding that efforts must be made to attract Jewish immigrants.
The Yesha Council responded to Lapid’s comments saying, “If the Jews of Yesha had even a 1/4 of the influence attributed by Lapid we would have been able to prevent the disaster that was the Oslo Accords and put an end to the proposals for unilateral retreat put forward by Lapid.”
“The most tragic aspect of Lapid’s speech,” said the Council, “is that Lapid can call the idea of transferring Arabs ‘barbaric’ and a minute later advocate the expulsion of Jews from their homes.”