Avi Gabbay
Photo: Motti Kimchi
Labor leader clarifies: 'Stop building outside main settlement blocs'
Avi Gabbay, whose opposition to the evacuation of settlements raised ire among his own party's members, seeks to explain his comments, indicating he was only referring to the main blocs: 'We can find creative solutions for the settlers who live outside the blocs.'
After stating his opposition to the evacuation of settlements drew criticism from his own party, Labor Chairman Avi Gabbay sought to clarify his controversial comments, indicating to Ynet on Tuesday he was only referring to the main settlement blocs in the West Bank.
"We have to stop construction outside the main blocs, and we need to create a situation in which this problem doesn't increase in size," Gabbay said.
In comments that sparked outrage among Labor Party members, Gabbay told Channel 2 News on Monday: "If we sign a peace agreement, why should we evacuate?"
Labor leader Avi Gabbay (Photo: Hagay Dekel)
He further elaborated, saying, "I think the dynamics or terminology we have become accustomed to here, where 'if you make peace—you evacuate,' are not necessarily true."
To Ynet, the Labor leader clarified, "I think we should aspire to reach an agreement with the Palestinians based on the principle of separating from the Palestinians, and based on the two states to two peoples principle. This means: We're keeping the main settlement blocs, with 420,000 settlers, we get a demilitarized country alongside us, and we get to maintain our security in the proper manner."
He argued that within the framework of a peace agreement, "we can find creative solutions for the settlers who live outside the blocs as well."
Gabbay asserted his positions are well known, "The Labor Party members elected me after they heard and read everything I've been saying. I've been saying this throughout the campaign. These are our worldviews. The idea is to reach a diplomatic solution, something (Prime Minister Netanyahu's) Likud Party doesn't believe in."
Insisting that "a discourse based on Right and Left is not relevant," he added, "Life is too complex to look for where each of us is on the political spectrum."
Labor MK Itzik Shmuli rejected Gabbay's explanations, saying, "Gabbay's comments have no connection to reality. He presents positions that are not in line with those of the Labor Party."
