Posted by The Jerusalem Times on Wednesday, April 08, 2019 12:05:07Israel plans to build three new settlements in East Judea and Samaria, a move that would further bolster the Palestinian security establishment and increase the Palestinians’ chances of remaining in the Palestinian territories, the defense minister said on Wednesday.
“The development of these settlements will make it possible for the Palestinian leadership to protect the lives of the residents of East Jerusalem and Samura,” Minister of Defense Avigdor Liberman said.
“They will have a very strong security presence and a very powerful security apparatus in the area.”
Liberman added that the new settlement would also increase the presence of Palestinian security forces and make it easier for Palestinians to travel to the West Bank and Gaza.
Libermen added that “we believe that the establishment of these three settlements will be good for the security of the people of Israel, the Palestinians and the region.””
This will also allow the Palestinians to have a greater influence in the security situation and in the international arena.”
Libermen added that “we believe that the establishment of these three settlements will be good for the security of the people of Israel, the Palestinians and the region.”
According to Liberman, the development of the settlements was the first step towards building a “security fence” along the Golan Heights.
Liberman said that the plan for the new settlements would be completed in 2028.
Libermen, who took over the defense portfolio in June, has made a number of controversial statements regarding the Palestinians, especially over their future.
In December, he told Israel Radio that “The Palestinians are not going to be part of a Palestinian state.
The Palestinian state is a Jewish state.”
Last year, he called for a Palestinian unity government in the West Jerusalem area.
Libermans statements were also widely criticized for their perceived lack of consideration for Palestinian needs, including food, healthcare, and housing.
The announcement of the development plans was announced after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an order granting Jerusalem’s annexation to Israel, a decision that Liberman hailed as a “historic step.”
The Israeli military is currently building a wall along the border with the occupied West Bank, but Liberman has previously called for the wall to be removed.
He has also suggested that Israel annex East Jerusalem as a whole and the Palestinian towns of Hebron and Bethlehem as well as parts of Gaza.
Liberions comments came as tensions have risen over the status of the West and East Jerusalem, as well the fate of Palestinian refugees in the occupied territories.
The United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to vote on a resolution on Tuesday to condemn Israel for its alleged demolition of Palestinian homes in the East Jerusalem area last week.
Jerusalem’s mayor, Nir Barkat, has vowed to hold an “immediate, comprehensive, transparent and credible” response to the UN vote.