Netanyahu denies reports he plans to concede land to the Palestinian Authority

Netanyahu said his government is not planning trust-building concessions to the Palestinians as the wave of terror attacks continue.

By: JNS and World Israel News staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel will not hand over territory to the Palestinian Authority (PA) at this time.

Speaking to a meeting of ministers from his Likud party, the prime minister denied recent reports that his government planned to transfer 10,000 dunams (2,500 acres) of land from Israeli control over to PA control as a confidence-building measure.

“There will not be any transfer of land,” Netanyahu said. “Not 40,000 dunams, not 10,000, and not even one [square] meter.”

Israeli Science, Technology and Space Minister Ofir Akunis also denied the recent reports that the IDF has established a secret team tasked with preparing a plan to hand over land to the Palestinians.

“After the delusional idea of transferring weapons to the Palestinians,” Akunis said, referring to remarks to the media by an anonymous IDF officer who said the IDF would recommend easing restrictions on the Palestinians to calm tensions, “we are hearing about the initiative by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) to hand over 10,000 dunams. We cannot let this happen.”

“Together with the international community, we have to demand that the Palestinians fight terrorism and stop the incitement against our forces and our citizens. That is what is required and not the transfer of territory,” Akunis added after the meeting.