Liberman proposes Jordan take responsibility for parts of West Bank, drawing fire

Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Liberman proposes transferring security and administrative responsibility for Areas A and B of the West Bank to Jordan, drawing sharp criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of his government.

“You have to reach an understanding with the Jordanians that they will manage Judea and Samaria. Let them take security and administrative responsibility. You can’t have a vacuum,” Liberman says on a podcast for religious nationalist outlet Besheva, referring to the West Bank by its biblical name.

Asked whether he trusts Jordan to take on such a role, Liberman says Amman has “no choice,” adding that it could either deploy its military or establish forces under Jordanian command.

Liberman, who himself lives in the settlement of Nokdim southeast of Jerusalem, initially refers to Jordan taking control of Areas B and C during the podcast, but later clarifies that he meant Areas A and B, which are currently administered by the Palestinian Authority. The PA also maintains security control in Area A, while Israel retains overall security control in Area B and full civil and security control in Area C, where all settlements are located.

Netanyahu slams the proposal, accusing Liberman, a right-wing security hawk and former defense minister, of having moved to the political left.

“I never believed you would propose today that the Jordanian army control territories of the Land of Israel. Retract your statement immediately,” Netanyahu writes on X.

Liberman responds that Israel should maintain “complete control” over Area C but should not be responsible for governing Palestinians in cities such as Nablus, Jenin and Tulkarem. He also rejects continued PA rule, calling the PA a “terrorist organization” and accusing it of engaging in “diplomatic terrorism,” in contrast to what he described as Hamas’s armed terrorism.

“In order to prevent a vacuum that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorists would enter, an agreement must be reached with Jordan for it to administer Areas A and B – an Israeli-Jordanian confederation,” he says.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri also attacks the proposal, accusing Liberman of having “forgotten what it means to be right-wing” and describing the plan as akin to Israel’s controversial 2005 disengagement from Gaza, when it unilaterally withdrew its military and evacuated all Israeli settlements in the Strip.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich similarly accuses Liberman of seeking to relinquish Israel’s security responsibility in the West Bank.

“Listen to Liberman: Someone who presents himself as a right-winger is proposing that we give up our security responsibility in Judea and Samaria and hand it over to the Jordanians,” Smotrich says.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir tries to make hay out of the Area C gaffe, accusing Liberman of being “confused.”

“Judea and Samaria isn’t a delivery that can be transferred to Jordan. This isn’t Wolt,” he says, referring to the popular food delivery app. “These are parts of our homeland.”