Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel to retain key West Bank settlement in any peace deal
Premier makes remarks during tree-planting ceremony in northern West Bank settlement of Ariel.
By Barak Ravid Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu Israel settlements Israel news West BankPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Friday that Israel would retain control of a large West Bank settlement under any future arrangement with the Palestinians.
During a tree-planting ceremony in the northern West Bank settlement of Ariel on Friday, Netanyahu reaffirmed the town's historic and strategic significance.
"Anyone who understands the geography of the Land of Israel knows how important Ariel is," Netanyahu said. "The settlement enterprise here is the heart of our land."
"Here is where our forefathers dwelled and here is where we will stay and build," the prime minister said. "We want to strengthen the peace and co-existence with our neighbors but this will not stop us from continuing with our lives here, where we'll continue to plant trees and to build."
"Ariel, the capital of Samaria (the northern West Bank), will be an integral, inseparable part of the state of Israel in any future arrangement," Netanyahu said.
Last week, Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered a college in Ariel to be recognized as a "university center," thereby winning praise from the right but an outraged response from both the political left and many academics.
The decision was vehemently opposed by the Council for Higher Education, which oversees all colleges and universities inside the Green Line. But because the Ariel University Center of Samaria is located in the West Bank, it is subordinate to a different, parallel, body, the Council for Higher Education in Judea and Samaria - which, like all Israeli institutions in the West Bank, is formally subordinate to the Israel Defense Forces' GOC Central Command, who in turn answers to the defense minister.
The CHE-JS approved Ariel's status upgrade back in 2007, and yesterday, Barak - who is also the Labor chairman - ordered GOC Avi Mizrahi to confirm this.
Recognition as a university center moves the college closer to full recognition as Israel's eighth university, and Barak's approval of this step had been part of the coalition agreement between Netanyahu's Likud party and a third coalition member, Yisrael Beiteinu.
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You don't want to negociate, so you put un acceptable preconditions. so, bye bye israel, because in this situation no two states solution is possible. it is as simple as that. now, who is responsible for this situation is clear; both sides, one with exclusivity for jerusalrm and return to the 1967 borders, while the other with exclusivity for jerusalem and maitain of certain settlements. In the Mishna one treats the problem of two peoples holding a talit each one of the claims it is entirely his, the solution proposed by the Mishna is fifty-fifty?. our old times rbbis failed to find a third solution, namely let both of the get covered by the same Talit.
...Netanyahu and other leaders are ignoring the best opportunity for peace in a decade. It becomes more apparent to those of interest outside of Israel than those Israeli leaders, who do not want peace..every week Bibi thinks of some new condition... The best was that Israel wanted to guard borders between Jordan and the West Bank.
You guys realize Abbas already said he was OK with a landswap for some existing settlements right? Just not all. And Israel didn't say anything about Jerusalem being a PRECONDITION. It's the subject of the negotiation. It has stated its goal/preference, not demanded it's acceptance before talks. Same with recognition. Israel's precondition was simple. STOP SHOOTING ROCKETS.
Facts/realities on the ground are meaningless and Israelis know it. Stop delaying the inevitable. You are simply wasting time and lives on both sides. Peace is within your grasp. Why is it you're born to suffer??? Don't make others suffer though. Stop the suffering.
Israel keeps Ariel; Israel keeps Jerusalem (including arab East Jerusalem); Arabs recognize Israel has a Jewish dominant state; Palestinians come to the table without preconditions of their own. How's that for a good starting point! Oh, one further point: Hamas has no right to exist, at the negotiating table or anywhere else.