Sa'ar: The Jordan Valley is Israeli

by Efrat Forsher and Israel Hayom Staff

Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Coalition Chairman MK Yariv Levin (Likud) and Habayit Hayehudi MK Orit Struck take part in Jordan Valley demonstration, calling on Israel to retain area in any peace deal • Levin: Israel has inalienable right to build here.

Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar is opposed to any Israeli withdrawal from the Jordan Valley | Photo credit: Jordan Valley Community Center

About 2,000 people, including Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar (Likud), Coalition Chairman MK Yariv Levin (Likud) and Habayit Hayehudi MK Orit Struck, took part in a march in the Jordan Valley on Friday, calling on Israel to hold onto the area in any peace agreement with the Palestinians.

The eight-kilometer march in the northern part of the Jordan Valley ended at Brosh Habika, where Sraya Ofer was killed by terrorists last October.

"We are here with a simple and clear message -- the Jordan Valley is Israeli," Sa'ar said. "It is impossible to think that the border will not be in the valley. The alternative, that the border will be next to Kfar Saba and Netanya, is completely inconceivable."

Levin said Israel has the "inalienable right" build in the Jordan Valley. 

"We are stronger than any attempt to uproot us from here," Levin said.

Jordan Valley Regional Council head David Elhayani said, "The Jordan Valley will remain a part of Israel forever."

Last week, a group of 21 rightist MKs sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on him to not freeze construction in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. 

The letter followed reports that the U.S. may demand Israel freeze settlement construction outside the main blocs as part of a deal with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to extend the ongoing peace negotiations by a year.

Efrat Forsher and Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=15677

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