MKs and ministers from various factions gathered for a meeting to renew the Land of Israel Lobby and pledged: We will not give up sovereignty and we will not allow a Palestinian state to be established in exchange for a peace agreement with the Emirates.
The Sovereignty Movement encourages the members of Knesset and ministers who gathered for a special meeting of the Land of Israel Lobby, calling on the Prime Minister to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria unconditionally and independent of any political agreement with the United Emirates.
The ministers and members of Knesset concluded the meeting of the renewed lobby under the leadership of members of Knesset Haim Katz and Bezalel Smotrich, with the just call: “We will not give up on the imminent application of sovereignty and we will not allow a Palestinian state to be established or for parts of the Land of Israel to be surrendered in exchange for a peace deal with the United Emirates”. Members of Knesset who belong to the lobby promised to work to realize the goals of the lobby which state that it will act to strengthen the State of Israel’s hold and sovereignty in all parts of the Land of Israel, especially in the Negev, the Galilee, the Golan Heights, Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.
During the meeting, the ministers signed a personal commitment to act to promote the goals of the lobby in Knesset as well as within the framework of their ministries’ activities to strengthen the State of Israel’s authority and sovereignty in all parts of the Land of Israel.
At the meeting they also signed a variety of proposals to be presented in the Knesset in the coming days. Among these proposals: a law to dismantle the Civil Administration, a fabric of life law – to normalize the young settlement communities (the outposts) and a law to amend the Cooperative Societies Ordinance, which will enable momentum in the settlement enterprise in all parts of the Land.
During the meeting, the co-chairman of the lobby and chairman of Likud Central Committee MK Haim Katz (Likud) said that he “hopes that together, through the lobby’s activities, we will bring about sovereignty over all parts of the Land of Israel. We will define milestones and we will strive to show that we are meeting them. We have been waiting for a long time and the time has come to appreciate the fact that the settlers are building this Land. The time has come for sovereignty. We all congratulate the Prime Minister, who has brought about peace for peace and we want him to bring about sovereignty as well. We are going to turn what is said here into facts on the ground. We will initiate building, development and investment in the communities. We will appeal to the ministers to assure that the settlement will be reflected in their working plan.
Co-chairman of the lobby and chairman of the National Union, MK Bezalel Smotrich (Yamina): The Land of Israel Lobby is the largest and most influential lobby in the Knesset. We are privileged that the lobby is the pioneer of this house in leading the discourse of sovereignty. The advantage of the Land of Israel is that it unites all of us. Each and every one of us here can connect to the promotion of the settlement in the Negev and the Galilee, the Golan and Judea and Samaria. We put politics aside and the ministers and members of Knesset join forces. The innovation of this lobby is that we define goals for ourselves on a practical level, so that we can succeed, especially through the ministers and their fields of work. We have done precise work with all the ministries in the government and the minister that stands at the head, to see how it is possible to streamline their contribution to the settlement enterprise”.
Knesset speaker MK Yariv Levin (Likud) said during the meeting: “In the lobby here, there are members of Knesset from across different parties and that’s important. We are experiencing a period without political and national certainty, so our unity is important. The fact that there has not been a lobby and forum such as the lobby on the issue of sovereignty, has significantly harmed the ability to come to reach binding results. Sovereignty is the right of the People of Israel and it is irreversible, and its implementation is our duty. It is not a matter of choice. Sovereignty has many complex aspects, from policy to matters in the field on the level of implementation. I, as Speaker of the Knesset, view my role as having to conduct the house in a statesmanlike manner but I am not from the UN and I will help to promote it”.
Coalition Chairman MK Miki Zohar (Likud): “Israel has no shortage of promises and declarations, but in the end, we must see achievements. In the past few days, I have been traveling around with a bad feeling since the announcement of the delay in the application of sovereignty. I explained this to the Prime Minister, who noted that he has not given up on sovereignty. This gives me hope to succeed later on, working together with the Land of Israel Lobby”.
Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defense, MK Zvika Hauser (Derech Eretz): “The battle for the borders of the Land crosses party lines and has lasted for 100 years. The Basic law for the people’s referendum, which I proposed on the communities of Judea and Samaria is excellent for the settlement enterprise. Since the application of sovereignty in the Golan Heights, five governments have conducted negotiations on returning the area and what arose in the enactment of the basic law for the people’s referendum led us to leave the Golan Heights in our possession. It is appropriate for the Knesset to enact this law for the residents of Judea and Samaria as well, and secure our settlement”.
Former Justice Minister MK Ayelet Shaked (Yamina): “We thought that we would succeed to promote sovereignty but the moment this government was established I understood that it would be difficult. I say to my friends in the Likud, stop telling stories. Netanyahu chose the Emirates instead of sovereignty and it is our duty to bring sovereignty to Judea and Samaria”.
MK Michal Shir (Likud): “Peace is welcome, but it must not come at the expense of sovereignty. I am concerned that we are missing out on sovereignty and we must have deadlines so that it will not only be talk, but also action. We must act so that we will not find ourselves in the Knesset in years to come, sitting in the lobby and talking about sovereignty”.
MK Ofir Sofer (Yamina): “In the end, the key role for the lobby is to stand guard over our Land. The reality might be deceptive and dangerous and it is important to stand with open eyes and see the achievements in the subject of sovereignty”.
MK Sharren Haskel (Likud): “We must not stop striving in the task of applying sovereignty. Jointly with members of the lobby, which crosses party lines, we can bring about de facto acts in the field”.
MK Nir Barkat (Likud): “We must demand for the Prime Minister to expedite the building in Judea and Samaria. Not to shy away from speaking of two million residents. No one can demand that we not plan and expand our building and at the same time, we must act to have a broad plan for building and develop our thinking about employment and sites centered on Bible stories and of course, to thwart the ruinous Fiyyad Plan to take over Area C. All of these things send a strategic message about who is in charge in Israel”.
Chairman of YESHA Council David Elhayani: We have the great mission of applying sovereignty. The obligation of the members of Knesset is to say that in no way will we lend a hand to establishing a Palestinian state – this is what these things lead to. If the members of Knesset keep saying this, we will have sovereignty as we desire. Only in this way can Netanyahu speak, act and bring about sovereignty”.
Head of Samaria Council Yossi Dagan: “We in the settlement movement are very disappointed, we feel hurt on the subject of sovereignty. There is a sense of being exploited during the past year and a half and a great loss of opportunity. We are experiencing complex and difficult times. Our public is angry and hurt by Netanyahu’s behavior, so the members of the lobby must lift their heads and fight with all their power in order to bring about sovereignty and to clarify this to the Prime Minister. Hauser’s law is not sovereignty but it is the correct thing to do for now”.
“Head of Gush Etzion Council Shlomo Ne’eman: “Our disappointment in the political sphere does not harm us in the practical sphere – issues of preserving the lands of Area C and expansion of building will cover the political situation. These things will encourage and strengthen us in the settlement of our land”.