Sa’ar hails Knesset vote against Palestinian state as end to ‘incorrect’ policy

The “era of withdrawals, concessions, and containment is over,” New Hope chairman Gideon Sa’ar declares, following last week’s Knesset vote rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Hailing the end of “30 years of incorrect political and security” policy, Sa’ar, whose party co-sponsored the measure, insists that “we will not allow a return to this [two-state] policy, no matter by whom.”

Addressing reporters ahead of his party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, Sa’ar calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to put the Iranian issue “at the top of the agenda during his visit to Washington.”

Welcoming Saturday’s strike against the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeida in Yemen as “better late than never,” Sa’ar says that Israel must “charge Iran a price for its aggression” and work with its allies “to stop the Iranian nuclear project.”

“The regime in Iran is the cause of the problems in the Middle East and its overthrow is a regional, Western, and international interest,” Sa’ar continues — adding that “the fight against Iran and its proxies cannot be merely reactive.”

Turning to Gaza, Sa’ar says that Israel must not fold in the fight against Hamas because the conflict there directly affects other fronts.

Despite having opposed the disengagement from Gaza in 2005, Sa’ar adds that without a “wide national consensus” on renewing settlement, he cannot support calls to reestablish Israeli communities in the coastal territory.

Asked about Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman’s recent meetings with former prime minister Naftali Bennett and whether he is engaged in talks to create a unified rightwing bloc, Sa’ar replies that he is unaware of such negotiations and does not believe they are taking place.

He also says that while he is in touch with members of Likud, he is not trying to peel away any of the lawmakers from the ruling party who have recently cast doubt on the future of the coalition.