Tel Aviv - Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Thursday called
on Israelis to calm the tone of disagreements over the possible
annexation of parts of the West Bank by his country.
"We must not prevent questions, doubts or criticism from any
political side. Disagree - yes," he said in a statement. "Argue -
absolutely. But the verbal violence, the name-calling, the
ridiculing, and the contempt must stop."
His comments come a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
"fiercely condemned" statements made by a settler leader about the
plan, according to Israeli daily Haaretz.
Proposals for annexation, based on US President Donald Trump's Middle
East plan, may be submitted to the Israeli parliament for approval
from July.
Representatives of the settlers and national religious movement
oppose the US plan, because they object to the founding of a
Palestinian state on the remainder of the land.
Settler leader David Elhayani told Haaretz on Wednesday that Trump
and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and and one of the architects
of his Middle East plan, "have proven in their plan that they are not
friends of the State of Israel."
The comments were made in response to calls by US officials to rein
in Israeli opposition to the US plan, according to the report.
Haaretz quoted Netanyahu as lashing back at Elhayini saying:
"President Trump is a great friend of the State of Israel."
"Sadly," he said, "instead of recognizing the good, there are those
who deny this friendship."
Overnight an Israeli pro-settlements group called the Sovereignty
movement launched a billboard campaign against Trump's plan.
The group said it hung hundreds of posters in Jerusalem, in and near
West Bank settlements and in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip.
The signs, each tailored to the area where they were posted, read:
"Jerusalem will be divided!" "Palestine just beyond the fence!" and
"Here Palestine will be established!" The posters are all signed with
the hashtag "#Trump Plan."
Palestinians also reject the plan, fearing that it will recognize
Israeli claims to parts of the West Bank that they want for a future
state.
As a consequence, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas recently
cancelled all agreements with Israel and the US.
The plan has also been criticized by parts of the international
community, such as the European Union.
If Israel goes ahead with the unilateral move, 58 per cent of
Israelis think that the Palestinians will start a third Intifada, or
uprising, according to a poll published on Wednesday by the Israel
Democracy Institute research centre.
On Wednesday, Israeli security chiefs held a meeting to discuss
scenarios surrounding the possible annexation, and Defence Minister
Benny Gantz previously instructed military Chief of Staff Aviv
Kochavi to prepare the army for any developments in the Palestinian
arena.