After the uproar over the economic easing of restrictions and other measures to strengthen the Palestinian Authority, the political-security cabinet convened on Sunday evening and decided by a majority of 8 members against one opponent and one abstention from adopting Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposal. The minister who objected was Itamar Ben-Gvir.
"In the absence of a change in the national assessment, Israel will act to prevent the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, while promoting the demand to cease its activity against Israel in the international legal-political arena, incitement in its media and education systems, payments to the families of terrorists and murderers, and illegal construction in Area C," the summary of the cabinet meeting read.
The Mukataa in Ramallah, photo: AFP
The rest of Netanyahu's proposals that came up in the cabinet were accepted here. Among other things, it was suggested that the security forces continue to act with determination to thwart terrorism, the prime minister and defense minister would bring before the cabinet measures to stabilize the civilian situation in the Palestinian arena, and the cabinet would unanimously support the defense minister's statement that calls for refusal severely harm Israel's security, and that they should be condemned and acted to leave the security forces out of the political discourse.
"A basket of treats at the height of the wave of terror"
Yesterday, some of the cabinet ministers strongly opposed such measures against the Palestinian Authority. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that he intended to "strongly oppose at the cabinet meeting the shameful decision to grant concessions and benefits to the Palestinian Authority. There is no greater absurdity that the body that encourages terrorism and pays salaries to terrorists and their families will receive a basket of rewards from the Israeli government in the midst of a wave of terror. I am sure that the rest of my cabinet colleagues, the ministers of the right-wing government, will join my position and will not lend their hand to this delusional proposal."
Ben-Gvir on Netanyahu: "If you don't want a right-wing government, send us home" // Photo: Yaniv Zohar
At the cabinet meeting, I intend to oppose the shameful decision to grant benefits to the Palestinian Authority. There is no greater absurdity that the body that encourages terrorism, pays salaries to terrorists, encourages incitement to murder Jews and takes over territories in Judea and Samaria will win a basket of rewards in the midst of a wave of terror. I am sure that my cabinet colleagues will join my position and will not lend their hand to this delusional proposal.
— Itamar Ben-Gvir (@itamarbengvir) July 8, 2023
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also apparently expressed his opposition at a cabinet meeting against easing restrictions on the Palestinian Authority. Smotrich, who is in charge of the Civil Administration's civilian functions, is outraged by the discrimination that the security establishment employs in Judea and Samaria regarding illegal construction in the area, when it rushes to demolish structures erected by Jews, but refrains from taking action against Arabs.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us