Security Remains a Top Priority for Israel, Netanyahu Says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that security control over the West Bank will remain in Israeli hands under any political scenario. According to him, any potential agreement with the Palestinian side cannot lead to a situation where Israel loses its sovereign authority in the security domain in that region.
Netanyahu emphasized that the West Bank is a small area in size, and any change regarding security could have an immediate impact on Israel. He believes that as long as significant changes have not occurred in the region, Israel must continue to control the security of the area west of the Jordan River.
The Prime Minister also referenced the initial plan presented by former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. According to that plan, it was proposed for Israel to annex the main territories where Israelis live. Netanyahu stated that this referred to a fairly large area, while the remaining territories were to be left unannexed, as they would not be returned to Israel under any other initiative.
These statements were made by Netanyahu during an interview with The Economist, highlighting that the issue of security remains a top priority for Israel.