Conflicting political agendas at Israel's Herzliya conference

The annual Herzliya conference on the future of Israeli security which convened on Sunday highlighted the conflicting political agendas of senior Israeli officials.

While Israeli Minister of the Economy Naftali Bennett proposed a plan for a unilateral annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, the Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni called for continuing the peaceful path.

Bennett called for annexing settlements in the West Bank unilaterally while improving economic conditions for Palestinians to protect Israeli security.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance Yair Lapid slammed Bennett’s plan and vowed to bring down the government if it is adopted. He called instead for a “divorce” from Palestinians and withdrawing from the West Bank via an agreement.

Livni, on the other hand, seemed more decisive in her proposition, stating that “the settlement project threatens the Zionist project and constitutes an economic and security burden on Israel.”

She added that Israel is using settlers as “human shields” to protect it from Palestinians, warning that every new construction in settlements undermines Israeli legitimacy in the international community.

Concerning the latest Palestinian reconciliation, Livni said there should be differentiation between the government and Hamas. The government should not be considered illegitimate, whereas Hamas should be exposed before the international community.

Livni held the new Palestinian government responsible for any “hostile act” from Gaza.

Chairman of the Likud party and opposition leader Buji Herzog said in his speech at the conference that Bennett’s annexation plan is “extremely dangerous for Israeli security.”

Herzog proposed his political plan, which calls for reaching a peace agreement within 5 years, while maintaining military presence in Jordan Valley, and a demilitarized Palestinian state.

Herzog called on Abas to disarm Hamas in Gaza as part of his responsibilities in accordance with the latest reconciliation agreement.