Lapid seeking meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah on sidelines of UN – The Times of Israel

Eisenkot: Those who want to dismantle Palestinian Authority will ‘bring disaster’ to Israel

Gadi Eisenkot, the former IDF chief of staff running with the National Unity party, says while he supports settlement blocs, he believes a one-state solution would be disastrous for the State of Israel.

“Those who want to dismantle the Palestinian Authority… to return to Gush Katif [in Gaza], in my opinion, will bring disaster upon the State of Israel,” says Eisenkot, speaking at a campaign event at a high school in the West Bank settlement of Efrat.

Eisenkot says he believes Israel must prevent a binational state and must seek “to end the [Israeli-Palestinian] conflict.” He cites the three “most significant steps” toward shrinking the conflict: the Oslo Accords, the Hebron Agreement and the Gaza disengagement.

Nevertheless, he says he supports the “value” of settlements and is “in favor of strengthening the settlement blocs,” but does not back illegal outposts, which he says must be dismantled.

Following his remarks, Jewish Home leader Ayelet Shaked and Religious Zionism MK Ofir Sofer slam Eisenkot, saying his comments prove that party chief Benny Gantz is dangerously left wing.