Netanyahu insists occupied West Bank is ‘part of our homeland’, saying Israel will not give it up

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that the occupation will not relinquish control of the West Bank to the Palestinians, putting the opportunity for a two-state solution further out of reach.

In an interview with TIME Magazine which was published this week, Netanyahu stated that the occupied Palestinian territories of East Jerusalem and the West Bank are “part of our homeland. We intend to stay there”.

The Israeli premier reiterated his opposition to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, saying he would only allow limited self-rule for the Palestinians in the occupied territories while Israel maintains security control, as is currently the case as the Palestinian Authority (PA) is limited to administrative duties and partial internal security.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation controls the territories’ security, airspace, ports of entry, planning policy, and partly its economy and tax collection, giving Tel Aviv overwhelming advantages and leverage in the dynamic.

“We don’t rule their land. We don’t run Ramallah. We don’t run Jenin”, Netanyahu claimed. “But we go in and take action when we have to prevent terrorism”, referring to the Palestinian resistance fighters and factions that inhabit the West Bank towns and cities.

Read: Israel calls for ‘Palestinian self-management’ in occupied West Bank