Former ISA (Israel Security Agency/Shin Bet) director, Yoram Cohen, warns that annexing areas ‘C’ throughout Yehuda and Shomron will lead to “a needles bloodbath”, he told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) during an interview on Thursday morning with Ilana Dayan. He added that too large an Israeli response to the injuring of soldiers along the border may result in hundreds of rockets fired at Israel.

Areas ‘C’ under the Oslo Agreements are under exclusive Israeli control, the areas in which all Jewish communities are established. Cohen feels that Israel “must limit the occupation”, i.e., the Jewish presence in areas of Yehuda and Shomron.

Cohen’s message was prompted by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu consulting with his cabinet regarding the construction of 700 apartments for the Palestinians in areas ‘C’ as reported by YWN-Israel. Cohen added that “even Minister Betzalel Smotrich [of Bayit Yehudi] agrees Israel has a responsibility to Palestinians living in those areas for decades, but we take responsibility and formulate strategic government policy in relation to Areas ‘C’ after ten years of Arab strategy.”

Cohen served as director of the ISA during Operation Protective Edge, the IDF counter-terrorism offensive in Gaza that began during the summer of 2014. He feels that there is a place for prisoner exchange agreements if it is determined it involves live people, and not bodies. Cohen does not feel that Israel cannot refrain from supplying electricity to Gaza or limit fishing off the Gaza coast, or bringing workers from Gaza to earn a living; all towards bringing home the hostages.

The father of IDF Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed in Operation Protective Edge and his body stolen by Hamas responded. “Yoram Cohen is the person who released Sinwar and left my son in Gaza at the signing agreement. He accepts the narrative of Hamas”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)