Netanyahu: “We need to control all of the territory”

ISRAEL’s Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his plan to control “all of the territory” and “live forever by the sword.”

The remarks were reported on the Haa’retz news website, in an article by journalist Barak Ravid, on Monday.

Mr Ravid wrote: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that although he doesn’t want a binational state, “at this time we need to control all of the territory for the foreseeable future.”

MKs who took part in Monday’s Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting reportedly told Mr Ravid that Netanyahu had turned to the politicians present and said: “You think there is a magic wand here, but I disagree. I’m asked if we will forever live by the sword – yes.”

The prime minister also spoke about possible plans to revoke Israeli citizenship or residency from the Arab residents of east Jerusalem.

He complained that there had not been any “progress” on the matter because of delays at the Justice Ministry, headed by Minister Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi).

Dr Hanan Ashwari, a committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), said of the idea:

“This alarming escalation, an inhuman and illegal measure, must be immediately stopped.

” Should this be adopted, such a measure will transform the actual status of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to “non-existence,” and it will deprive them of the most basic rights and services, including shelter, healthcare and education.

“This would also provoke confrontations with serious ramifications throughout the region and beyond.”