Bayit Yehudi leader Minister Naftali Bennett spoke out in no uncertain terms regarding the ongoing negotiations between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority). Bennett stated that he and his party object to the establishment of a Palestinian state and land concessions.
“We will not remain in a coalition that makes easy dangerous decisions” he exclaimed, adding “If those who are pressuring us will agree to die in our place tomorrow?”
“We did not come this far to be an experimental lab for the world. There have been great leaders that knew how to say no and they remained alive” he added.
Bennett did not just speak ideology, but quoted statistics from the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet), citing that in November 2013 there were 167 terror attacks. He added that since the 2005 expulsion of Jews from Gaza no less than 13,796 rockets were fired into southern Israel and in the four years following the signing of the Oslo Agreement 256 Israelis were murdered as compared to 97 in the two years preceding the agreement. “The agreement did not bring peace but rather fear and graves!”
Bennett add that he is aware of the enormous pressures being exerted on Israel and he in no way makes light of this amid a realization the nation’s leader has a tough job. He reminded his audience that in 1948 the United States pressured Israel not to declare statehood, yet Ben-Gurion stood up to the ‘mighty United States of America”. He questioned the wisdom of ousting the thousands from their homes in Gush Katif to receive applause from the international community and rocket fire into Rishon L’Tzion. He stressed the truly difficult position is to remain firm despite the pressure and to show the world that in negotiations, we cannot simply acquiesce and the other side must understand it too has something to lose.
He rejects the overuse of “the pre-’67 borders” which he explains is the code for dividing Yerushalayim once again. He rejects this outright and denounces those who continue to give the world the impression that there is a chance Israel will relinquish sovereignty over the Old City, Har Habayis or any area of the capital. Bennett added that his party will not be part of a government that gives away the burial location of Menachem Begin, Rav Kook and Eliezer Ben-Yehuda or the Kosel and Har Habayis.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Bennett will have very little say in the matter. If Likud wants to do something that Bayit Yehudi doesn’t like, all they have to do is offer to end conscription (or limit penalties to draft refuseniks to loss of yeshiva subsidies), and the hareidi parties will vote for virtually anything. Had the coalition consisted of a core of Likud and the Shomer Shabbos parties (Bayit Yehudi and hareidim), rather than Likud and the Lapid/Bennett block, then Bennett would be better placed to shift policies.