The Women in Green movement, which has been spearheading the sovereignty effort to impose Israeli law on some or all of the liberated territories, on Monday issued a press release regarding the postponement of a vote on a bill to that end in the cabinet, saying they “welcome the Prime Minister’s decision not to veto and remove the legislation for sovereignty from the agenda, but only to postpone the discussion of it until a later time.”
“Nevertheless, we believe that precisely now, when Iran has attempted to violate Israeli’s sovereignty, is the optimal time to emphasize our sovereignty,” the Women in Green stressed.
Sunday’s cabinet ministers’ vote to delay debate on the new bill—authored by MK Yoav Kisch (Likud)—was unanimous, in consideration of the particular difficulties faced by the PM who is negotiating with the Putin regime the removal of Iranian and Iranian-backed forces from southern Syria.
But MK Smotrich (Habayit Hayehudi) responded to the vote postponement saying, “The events in the north were supposed to be a catalyst for the passing of the sovereignty law and not an excuse for its rejection – unless any of the coalition leaders thinks that anything good will come out for Israel from the establishment of an Iranian satellite one yard from Ben-Gurion Airport.”
“In such a situation, the Iranians will not need spy drones, they could do it with regular binoculars,” Smotrich added, describing things in Judea and Samaria should Israel fail to annex. “The Middle East smells weakness and exploits it, and they also know identify and appreciate power. The application of sovereignty is the most appropriate step, from a moral, Zionist, and security point of view. We will continue to promote it with all our might in order to succeed and pass the legislation on this matter.”
“I am convinced that my friends in the Likud will not surrender, and together we will make history,” Smotrich concluded.
The Women in Green, for their part, expressed a similar sentiment, saying “it has again become evident that the Prime Minister is also well aware of the importance of applying Israeli sovereignty, at least in the area of Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, which was previously demonstrated in the meeting of the Likud Central Committee, and is now emphasized.
“However, those who make Israeli policy must understand that even a temporary retreat from the enforcement of sovereignty as a response to the violation of Israel’s sovereignty, as happened yesterday, is interpreted as weakness and indecisiveness. But in the Middle East, weakness, concessions and indecisiveness only encourage the forces of evil that seek to destroy us.
“For years, some have been arguing that even if sovereignty is necessary, this is not the appropriate time for it. However, we believe that now is precisely the best time – to apply sovereignty in response to the attempt to erode Israel’s sovereignty.”