Defense Minister Liberman proposes ‘carrot-or-stick’ approach to Palestinian terror – rewarding West Bank towns who combat terror, or punishing those that assist in it.

By Kobi Finkler

Prior to his appointment to the Defense Ministry, Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman boasted that if made Defense Minister, he would ‘crush the terror wave’ and restore security to Israel.

Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Liberman – Photo: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS

On Wednesday evening Liberman presented the first detailed plan towards that goal since assuming office in June.

The outline follows a carrot-and-stick approach to terror emanating from the Palestinian Authority, and includes benefits for towns not harboring terrorists, as well as punitive measures towards known terror centers.

Specifically, the plan would offer special privileges to 15 Palestinian Authority communities which have not been home to terrorists and which have maintained peaceful relations with Israel.

On the other hand, the 15 ‘worst offenders’ – towns which have had large numbers of locals become involved in terrorist attacks – will be deprived of all work permits into Israel, be subjected to more vigorous security checks, and face more arrests of residents suspected of terror ties.

Liberman listed some of the possible rewards for towns that cooperate with Israel and remain terror-free, including resources towards the construction of medical centers, soccer fields, and industrial zones.

In addition, Liberman proposed the establishment of an Arabic news website managed by the Civil Administration, which would provide Arabs in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza with a news outlet not contaminated with the anti-Israel bias and often violent anti-Semitic incitement found in Palestinian Authority news outlets.

“It’s very simple”, the Defense Minister said. “We’ll give benefits to those who live normal lives and want to coexist [with Israel], and we’ll take harsh [measures] against those who wish to do us harm.”

Liberman also praised the IDF’s policy of demolishing the homes of terrorists, calling it an important deterrent.

“If up until now it took a year before the house was demolished [after a terror attack], today it takes about a month, and that’s definitely effective. Add to that the closures [of towns where terrorists operated from], the refusal [by Israel] to return the bodies of slain terrorists, and you have an answer as to why there has been relative quiet on the ground.”

Regarding the ongoing fight against terrorism, Liberman pointed out that since the beginning of the year Israeli security forces had arrested 1,733 terrorists, prevented 208 terror attacks, and broken up 22 underground weapons factories in Judea and Samaria.

View original Arutz Sheva publication at:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/216563