At Channel 14’s Israel Security Conference on Tuesday, Brig. Gen. (Res) Erez Winner, chairman of the Israel Defense and Security Forum (HaBitachonistim), a security-focused advocacy group, presented a forceful position on Israel’s approach to the ‘Palestinian’ Authority. Winner called for dismantling the ‘PA’, arguing that Abbas himself has declared the Oslo Accords no longer in effect. According to Winner, Israel should use this situation to reassert control over its territory in Judea and Samaria.
1+Winner emphasized that the problem is political, not military, and that the army needs to abandon “its conception that we need to strengthen the Authority and that it’s a supportive body.” He added that he’s heard statements in various committees about strengthening the ‘PA’—things he “thought had already died and disappeared from the world.” According to him, “this Authority needs to be dismantled.”
1+Brig. Gen. (Res) Erez Winner explained that if “Abu Mazen says they’re not in effect,” Israel should “uproot the A, B, C—all these foreign letters—and return to our country’s territory.” He referenced “the farms, the hilltops, our wonderful youth who are settling every piece and every corner,” and called for continuing this activity “with permission, with authority, with support and backing.” He stressed that dismantling the Authority should be done “slowly, carefully, wisely, with common sense,” without needing to mobilize divisions or launch an immediate assault.