Israel National News: Feiglin: If You Abandon Us, Give Us an Army

Likud-Beytenu’s maverick MK Moshe Feiglin published a delayed reaction Monday to the idea floated Sunday by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s bureau, to leave Jewishsettlements and settlers underPalestinian sovereignty in a future peace deal.

Feiglin thinks that if Israel opts for the plan, it should at least give the settlers part of the IDF, so they can defend themselves.

“The part filled by the settlers in the state’s security – in blood and money– is greater than that of any other section sector in Israel’s population,” wrote Feiglin on his Facebook page.

“The idea of abandoning them to the gangs of the PLO and Hamas is an evil and cruel one. But if someone means this seriously, it is only right that the settler’s proportional part in the edifice of the IDF be left in their hands, so that they can defend themselves.”

A Samaria resident, MK Feiglin has repeatedly challenged Netanyahu’s leadership of Likud. He is backed by the powerful Jewish Leadership movement within the ruling party, which is made up in large part by residents of Judea and Samaria. He sees himself as a worthy candidate for prime minister, but says he has set aside his quest to replace Netanyahu for the time being, and accepts his leadership.

Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett, whose religious-Zionist party is also disproportionately represented among the residents of Judea and Samaria, slammed Netanyahu’s idea Sunday, but sources close to Netanyahu claimed Monday that the idea had been a ruse. According to the sources, the plan was meant to expose the Palestinian Authority leaders’ rejection of the idea of a Jewish presence in their midst, and it was clear from the outset that the PA would not accept the idea.