Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman on Sunday presented an official diplomatic plan for the West Bank. Under the proposal, Jordan would be responsible for public order through a police force and would administer the daily lives of Palestinians in Areas A and B, while Israel would maintain territorial contiguity and be responsible for security throughout the area.
“If we do not define the end goal and take the initiative into our own hands, our future will be determined by others,” he said.
Avigdor Liberman, Mount Tammoun
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky, Yaron Botzer)
According to Liberman, there are currently three different options regarding the West Bank.
“The first, that of Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and the hilltop youth, is to apply Israeli sovereignty to all of Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip, turn Israel into a binational state and assume responsibility for the day-to-day administration of Palestinian life in Khan Younis, Nablus and Tulkarem. The second option, that of Yair Golan, is a return to the 1967 borders, including in Jerusalem, and the establishment of a Palestinian state throughout the territory. The third option, that of Netanyahu, is to continue the policy of containment for about two and a half years, until the United States forces Israel to accept a Palestinian state.”
The Yisrael Beytenu chairman proposed a fourth option, which would include dismantling the Palestinian Authority and nullifying the Oslo Accords.
“The alternative I am proposing is intended to restore security to the citizens of Israel and thwart the threat of an October 7-style invasion of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. The goal is, on the one hand, to prevent a situation in which a change of government in the Palestinian Authority creates a power vacuum that Hamas and Islamic Jihad could exploit to take control of the territory and, on the other hand, to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state recognized by the international community,” Liberman said.
He noted that despite tensions with Jordan, security coordination with the kingdom has remained stable and close.
“Aqaba borders Eilat and Beit She'an is 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Jordanian border. We share a border of more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) with the Jordanians and the cooperation plays a central role in maintaining security and calm.”
Regarding the Gaza Strip, Liberman said, “The West Bank and the Gaza Strip should be treated as two separate entities. In both cases, the first step must be to identify a serious actor acceptable to the Arab world and the international community that will assume control and responsibility for each of the areas.
“As for the Gaza Strip, there will be no alternative to the complete elimination of Hamas, including its military and civilian wings, by the IDF. Afterward, control will be transferred to an external party that will assume responsibility for administering the Strip.
“The framework I am presenting is not wishful thinking, but is based on many years of familiarity with the region and with the relevant parties with whom I have spoken, and I am convinced that it can be implemented. I believe that through initiative, determination and diplomatic courage, it is possible to change reality and shape a better future for generations to come,” he concluded.