BICOM

Palestinian officials and right-wing Cabinet colleagues dismissed an apparent suggestion by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israeli settlers in the West Bank should be given the option of living under Palestinian rule, under a future peace deal.

The Times of Israel reported that an official from the Prime Minister’s Office said, “Just as Israel has an Arab minority, the Prime Minister doesn’t see why Palestine can’t have a Jewish minority.” Although there was no official comment from Netanyahu’s office, the same source suggested that “settlers be given the free choice of remaining in place and living under Palestinian rule, or relocating to areas under Israeli sovereign rule” following a peace agreement. The official was reportedly explaining comments made by Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Friday, during which he said “I do not intend to displace a single Israeli.”

However, Netanyahu’s apparent suggestion was dismissed out of hand by Palestinian Authority senior negotiator Saeb Erekat, who told AP, “No settler will be allowed to stay in the Palestinian state, not even a single one, because… the presence of the settlers on the occupied lands is illegal.”

Economy Minister and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett also criticised the idea of Jewish Israelis living under Palestinian sovereignty as “very dangerous and reflects a loss of marbles and values.” Deputy Defence Minister, Likud MK Danny Danon commented, “Whoever thinks Jews can live under Palestinian control should visit the Gaza Strip [controlled by Hamas].”

Meanwhile, West Bank settlements also proved controversial under a different guise at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. Justice Minister and chief peace negotiator Tzipi Livni objected to Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s proposed tax breaks for a list of numerous communities across Israel, including 35 isolated settlements. Livni said, “Those who sit here and insist on building and encouraging isolated settlements are those who encourage an international boycott of Israel.” Lapid countered that the list is based on geographical distance from the country’s centre and includes many Arab communities.