Lieberman Proposes Jordan Administer Palestinian Areas in West Bank

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, has unveiled a proposal to establish an Israeli-Jordanian confederation, wherein Jordan would assume responsibility for public order and daily life for Palestinians in Areas A and B of the West Bank. Lieberman presented the plan at a press conference on Sunday, emphasizing that Israel would retain full control over Area C, including all settlements, and maintain territorial contiguity and security responsibility throughout the West Bank. He suggested that Jordan has already given its tacit agreement to the framework, based on his extensive experience and discussions with relevant parties.

Lieberman’s primary motivation for the plan is a right-wing concern about the potential establishment of a Palestinian state across the entire territory. He fears that after Donald Trump leaves the White House in approximately two years, international pressure for a Palestinian state will intensify, potentially leading to a binding UN Security Council resolution. Lieberman believes that former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir erred in thwarting a 1987 confederation plan between Shimon Peres and King Hussein, which he argues would have led to shared Israeli-Jordanian management of the West Bank, contrasting it with the Oslo Accords.

Lieberman views his proposal as a means to preserve settlements and dismantle the Palestinian Authority, which he labels a terror organization. While acknowledging the uncertainty of Jordan's future stability, he points to the long-standing peace between Israel and Jordan as a basis for hope that similar tranquility could extend to areas like Ariel and Nablus. He also suggested that radical elements within the settlement movement might inadvertently be strengthening the Palestinian issue internationally.

The article also touches upon the rapid expansion of settlements, citing the recent establishment of a new community, "Mitzpe Eretz," near the Rimonim-Jericho road. It questions whether the current approach to settlement expansion adequately addresses the growing international political pressure on Israel, suggesting that a more robust strategy is needed even if the right-wing remains in power.