IN RESPONSE TO UNITY DEAL UNILATERAL PALI' STATEHOOD, ISRAEL SHOULD ANNEX THE WEST BANK: THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS SCOOPS LIKUD MINISTERS BY 3 DAYS

JPOST: Likud minister joins calls for annexation if Palestinians declare statehood; "We'll also declare - as children say: 'you started it.'"

With the clock ticking down to the anticipated unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood, a senior Likud minister joined calls over the weekend to annex the West Bank in response to any unilateral Palestinian steps.

On Saturday night Channel 2 television released an audio recording of a Thursday meeting of the Likud's young adult forum, during which Welfare and Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon said that he supported such a move.

"If they take steps, we will take steps – I think that we need to immediately annex all of the territories on that same day," Kahlon said, and was greeted by applause by his audience. "You declared statehood? No problem, We will also declare – as children say: "you started it!"

A Galei Israel Radio correspondent sat in on the meeting, which was considered an internal party event, and recorded the minister's comments.

Kahlon is not, however, the first Likud minister to float the idea in recent days. Following the Palestinian announcement regarding an Egyptian-brokered treaty between Fatah and Hamas.

On Wednesday, Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein said that because "the Palestinian Authority chose a strategy of terror and unilateralism, Israel too must present an initiative: to assert Israeli authority throughout the entire land of Israel and put an end to the idea of a Palestinian state."

TAB POSTED THIS WEDNESDAY:

Elliot Abrams:

This deal, if it is real, will be interpreted in Israel as a choice by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to make peace with Hamas rather than with Israel.

It is hard to see how Israel could negotiate with a Palestinian government half or more of which represents a terrorist group dedicated to attacking the Jewish State.

TURNING THE SO-CALLED WEST BANK INTO ANOTHER GAZA [AS THE SO-CALLED FATAH/HAMAS UNITY DEAL WOULD DO] IS NOT IN THE INTERESTS OF ISRAEL OR THE WEST.

IMHO:

WE SHOULD VIRTUALLY DEPORT THE GAZANS TO EGYPT AND GIVE THE SO-CALLED PALI'S OF THE SO-CALLED WEST BANK JORDANIAN PASSPORTS AND CONDITIONAL RESIDENCY IN ISRAEL (WITH CONDITIONAL/LIMITED AUTONOMY) - AFTER ANNEXING THE WEST BANK.

REGULAR READERS KNOW WE ARE AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON SHARP ANALYSIS AND BLUNT COMMENTARY. EVEN QUICKER THAN LIKUD MINISTERS IT SEEMS!

SPREAD THE WORD.