Posted on 09/13/23
| News Source: Arutz-7
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the firestorm surrounding reports that his government authorized the transfer of American armored vehicles and arms to the Palestinian Authority.
"There is no limit to the fake news, so here are the facts: since the government was established, it did not transfer any weapons, no even one, to the Palestinian Authority," Netanyahu stated.
Netanyahu claimed that the decision was made by the previous government led by Naftali Bennett, "What was indeed done is a decision that was made by Defense Minister Benny Gantz (during the Bennett-Lapid government) in January 2022 to transfer several armored vehicles to replace old armored vehicles."
He continued: "That is what was done, not tanks, not Kalashnikovs, nothing, so sometimes the fake news is also not armored, and it's good that we puncture this lie."
The government was thrown into turmoil Wednesday morning due to the reports of the arms transfer, with ministers butting heads and pointing fingers.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism) was said to be planning an emergency consultation later in the morning. Those close to the Minister say they were unaware of the transfer and that the Minister is "boiling over with anger."
Those close to Smotrich surmised that the move to arm the PA, as well as moves toward a unilateral compromise on the judicial reform, are "payments to Benny Gantz to create a unity government together which will push to revive the Oslo Accords."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) threatened, "Mr. Prime Minister if you don't commit in your own voice that the reports of a transfer of arms to the Palestinian Authority are wrong - there will be consequences. If you intend to push for a second Oslo government, please update your ministers and the public, and we will act accordingly."
According to the Al-Quds newspaper, the armored vehicles and the weapons were transferred to the PA through Jordan with the consent of the Israeli government.
According to PA security officials, the transfer included no less than 1,500 weapons, including laser-guided M-16 and Kalashnikov assault rifles.
According to a report by Galei Tzahal, Israel set several conditions for the weapons' use: 1. They may only be used against terror and not against criminals 2. The weapons may only be used by the security apparatus - general security, counterintelligence, and the police.