Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told JNS on Monday that the Palestinian Authority “supports, encourages and funds terrorism” and should be replaced by a “completely different,” non-hostile body.
The Western-backed P.A. should be replaced by a civilian administrative body that “does not seek to annihilate the State of Israel,” said Smotrich, speaking at a faction meeting of his Religious Zionist Party in Jerusalem.
“Unfortunately, such a decision has not yet been made by the government I am a member of,” the Cabinet minister added.
Smotrich’s suggestion is quite apt. Terrorist attacks persist across Judea and Samaria while Israel remains engaged in combating the larger terrorist framework. The notion of substituting the Palestinian Authority with a credible administrative entity is a concept that has been overdue for quite some time.