Right-wing marchers warn Israel ‘losing war’ for Area C

Right wing and settler leaders warned that Israel is “losing the war” for Area C of the West Bank, as they held 14 marches there on Monday afternoon.

“The future of our state and its borders are resting on our shoulder and we won’t abandon this front under any circumstance, nor will we stop waving our flag over all of our land,” said Gush Etzion Regional Council head Shlomo Ne’eman.

“The map of Palestinian infiltration is the map of the Israeli government’s disgrace,” he said. “But we will continue with determination to preserve this land and turn the map into a map of settlements.”

“This is a war we are losing on a daily basis,” Binyamin Regional Council head Israel Ganz warned. “The Palestinian Authority is conquering state lands within our heartland in an organized fashion. They create buffer zones and take over strategic places unhindered.” He called for an immediate change of policy by the new government.

The march is part of a renewed focus by the Right to preserve the ability to apply Israeli sovereignty over Area C in the future, now that any annexation plans have been scrapped.

At issue for the Right is the fear that Palestinians are slowly taking over territory in Area C as a way of ensuring that the land will be part of the final borders of a future Palestinian state.

Activists at the Gush Etzion junction held up large Israeli flags and signs that said, “Honk in support of saving our state lands from Arab theft.”

Palestinians held counter demonstrations and burned tires in the Samaria region, while there was a brief altercation in the South Hebron Hills between Israelis and Palestinians that was quelled by the army.