‘This is Our Land’: Israel’s Netanyahu Vows to ‘Extend Jewish Sovereignty’ to West Bank Settlements
Jewish settlements in the West Bank are one of the most contentious sources of dispute between Israel and the Palestinians. The latter fiercely oppose the construction and expansion of Israeli communities in the West Bank, citing international law, while Israeli settlers believe that this land is historically theirs.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeated his pledge to place Jewish settlements in the West Bank within Israel's borders, as the country is preparing for a fresh election this month.
“With God's help we will extend Jewish sovereignty to all the settlements as part of the (biblical) Land of Israel, as part of the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said in the West Bank settlement of Elkana at a Sunday ceremony marking the beginning of a new school year.
“This is our land,” he added, as quoted by Reuters. “We will build another Elkana and in another Elkana and another Elkana. We will not uproot anyone here”.
Netanyahu – the leader of the nationalist Likud party – placed this pledge at the heart of his campaign ahead of the April legislative election. At the time, his party failed to secure a majority in the Knesset, preventing Netanyahu from forming a government, and parliament voted to dissolve itself and called snap elections, which are set for 17 September.
- Source : Sputnik News
