Jerusalem, Israel - Feb. 8, 2020 - Leaders of Judea and Samaria YESHA Council arrived in Jerusalem, Israel to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare sovereignty as suggested in the Trump "Deal of the Century" peace plan. Beginning the week of February 3, 2020, from a tent set up outside the Prime Minister's Office, the heads of YESHA communities met to express their unified opinion on calling for sovereignty.
There has been increasing pressure on the Prime Minister to follow through and declare sovereignty.
Sovereignty Movement leaders, Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar organized a Thursday evening march together with the Sovereignty Youth Movement, starting at the Prime Minister’s residence to march to the Prime Minister’s office with the call to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria before the elections.
The movement explained that the route for the march was chosen to emphasize that the outcome is in the Prime Minister’s hands. “It is within Prime Minister Netanyahu’s power to bring about the application of sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and the Jewish settlements before the elections. The government of Israel has the authority to apply sovereignty with a governmental decision independent of any external factors.”
“Immediately following the publication of the plan, the Prime Minister announced that he would immediately bring the application of sovereignty for a vote in the government. The lovers of the Land of Israel demand him to implement this announcement, which will also lead the Right camp to victory in the elections” stated the movement’s co-chairwomen Katsover and Matar.
Former members of Knesset Orit Struk and Idit Silman took part in the march and spoke. "We are here to call on the Prime Minister to go ahead, as in the Torah portion for this week, where it is written ‘Why are you yelling at me, speak to the Children of Israel and go' said Struk. "This is not the time for talk or hesitation and looking right and left, but to advance forward and the sea will split. The People are very ready for this."
Long time Hevron resident and spokesperson, David Wilder has stated: "Right now we have to express the truth as we see it and know it. And that is that Israel has a historic right to all our land. And finally, after so many years, the United States, which moved its embassy to Jerusalem, has recognized that we have right to our land."
Further, Wilder concluded, "Our rights to our land should not and will not be contingent in any way shape or form as to whether we agree to the creation of another enemy state which could definitely be an existential threat to the continued existence of the State of Israel."
From the tent located outside the Prime Minister's Office, The CEO of the YESHA Council Yigal Dilmoni told BJL the matter of sovereignty must be brought forward this week.
With Israeli elections a month away, the issue of sovereignty has become an important factor. According to Caroline Glick, if Netanyahu fails to apply Israeli law in Judea and Samaria before the elections he will lose, and Blue and White will bury the peace plan.
During a Likud pre-election rally held after Shabbat, February 8, Netanyahu said work on a territorial map according to the Trump plan was being worked on, but was not specific in what would be included.
