Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in a Kan 11 interview, said illegal outposts in Judea and Samaria should be evacuated and that Areas A and B would become part of a Palestinian autonomy. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other right-wing figures condemned the proposal, warning it would establish a terror state.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett doubled down on his controversial position on Judea and Samaria in a Tuesday interview on Kan 11's 'HaManganon' program, according to reports published by the Jewish Voice website. Bennett stated that illegal outposts — those built outside Areas C — must be evacuated, because 'Areas A and B will be part of the Palestinian autonomy.' The remarks triggered an immediate wave of condemnations from ministers, West Bank local council heads, and right-wing activists.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded on social media: 'Palestinian autonomy — meaning a terror state in the heart of the country.' Right-wing activist Elisha Yered said the only way to thwart Bennett's plan is immediate and widespread settlement in 'Oslo areas.' The interview follows Bennett's similar statements earlier Tuesday that he would 'hand over' Areas A and B to a Palestinian state, as The Zioneer reported at 07:32 and 07:45. Bennett's latest interview was published at 11:49, overlapping with the current report.
The controversy marks a sharp reversal for Bennett, who previously advocated for annexation and opposed Palestinian sovereignty. The Zioneer previously reported Bennett's later remarks at a JNS conference where he called himself a 'right-winger, not an extreme irresponsible,' and his warnings about an anti-Zionist state emerging within Israel. The political fallout continues, with Smotrich and others framing the proposal as a security threat.
2 developments
- DevelopingSmotrich warns Bennett government would evacuate new West Bank outposts, establish Palestinian state
- DevelopingNaftali Bennett declares he will hand over Areas A and B to a Palestinian state
- StrongBennett proposes Palestinian autonomy; MK Buaron attacks: 'He fooled us, left-wing dangerous'
- DevelopingSmotrich warns of EU-backed plot to reverse West Bank settlement drive
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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