Netanyahu: PA will collapse if army, Shin Bet withdraw from West Bank

The Palestinian Authority would collapse if the Israeli army and security services pull out of the West Bank, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned yesterday.

“I do not want to donate the 1967 borders to the Palestinians while they do not give us anything in return. Where will I find a partner who is ready to recognise the end of the conflict, the right of return and that in the foreseeable future the control over west of the Jordan River and till the sea will remain in our hands. Nations crumble and there are countries on the verge of collapse,” Netanyahu said.

Asked whether he was ready to freeze settlement construction and allow Palestinians to build in Area C, Netanyahu said: “There is a hypothesis involved in your question, that if we froze construction or restricted it in the West Bank, this would satisfy the Palestinians.”

Member of the Knesset Tzipi Livni responded: “This is common knowledge, not hypothesis.”

“I remind members of the Knesset that at the time we proposed to freeze everything. We did it until the end of 2009, this did not prove itself,” Netanyahu replied.