Likud leadership candidate Gidon Sa’ar criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not removing the Bedouin outpost of Khan al-Ahmar on a visit to the site on a Tuesday morning. Sa’ar noted that Neatanyahu promised in an October 2018 cabinet meeting that the outpost would be removed “very soon.” Sa’ar said the reason for the removal was that it was not a Jewish outpost, hinting at discrimination. The visit is part of a tour of sites that indicate that Netanyahu has failed to keep promises that would guarantee Israeli control over Area C in Judea and Samaria. The Likud MK is to visit the E1 area between Jerusalem and Maale Adumin on Tuesday afternoon. Netanyahu has promised many times in the past to build in the area, including in past visits to the site during election campaigns, but due to American pressure has never kept that promise. Asked by The Jerusalem Post whether Netanyahu’s inaction indicated a lack of loyalty to Judea and Samaria on his part, Sa’ar repsonded that he would run a respeccftuul campaign. On Sunday, in a speech at the Mekor Rishon conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu hinted that Sa’ar would not be loyal to Judea and Samaria. Earlier Tuesday in a speech to pro-Israel members of parliament from around the world, Sa’ar said that European countries who fund the Khan el-Ahmar outpost were displaying a “lack of moral clarity.” Sa’ar said that “the world is suffering from lack of moral clarity on Islamic extremism and on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. They make excuses for Islamic terror instead of fighting against it,” while addressing a delegation from the Israel Allies Foundation. “The lack of moral clarity is dangerous,” he added. The meeting was attended by ministers and MPs from around the world, who presented Sa’ar with a declaration against the decision recently taken by the European Court calling for the marking of goods made in the Judea and Samaria region, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. “This is an attempt to delegitimize the right of the Jewish people to live and build our future in the land of our forefathers,” Sa’ar said. “Your announcement that you are making here today is a clear and important voice.” “Making clear the rights of the Jewish people in our homeland. Making clear you reject BDS, and recognizing BDS as a clear expression of antisemitism. Making clear that the Jewish people cannot be ‘occupiers’ in their own land.” “Today, I accept warmly this important statement, on behalf of all Israel,” the Likud MK continued, “and join you in calling on the EU, and on governments around the world: Do not be blind to the truth. It is time to show moral clarity, when it comes to the conflict, and all the issues in the Middle East.” Sa’ar also stated that, “polls show I bring support from the other side. I’m sure I will lead Likud to a big victory and a government led by Likud in which all the Zionist parties will be invited to negotiate. “If we continue the same path we are on now,” Sa’ar continued, “we should not expect different results.” Sa’ar also took time to comment on the upcoming British general election on Thursday, saying that Labour’s candidate for prime minister, Jeremy Corbyn, “makes clear his anti-Israel positions. I truly hope he won’t win the election.” Source
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