The Prime Minister's Office issued a statement in English addressing the proposal to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria that passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset yesterday. "The vote was a deliberate political provocation by the opposition, aimed at sowing discord during Vance's visit to Israel," the statement said. The office also commented on MK Yuli Edelstein: "The Likud party and religious parties did not vote for these bills, except for one disgruntled Likud member who was recently dismissed from chairing a committee in the Knesset."