Unveiling new plan, Liberman seeks to bypass PA

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman announces a plan to increase benefits for Palestinian villages in the West Bank from which no terrorists have emerged as an incentive to curb the nearly year-long wave of violence, while sanctioning the hometowns of terrorists.

He reiterates his opposition to returning the bodies of terrorists for burial and says if Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit won’t defend the practice to the High Court of Justice, he would step in.

The defense minister also slams the Palestinian Authority and says the ministry will work to engage with the Palestinians directly.

“We can have dialogue without Abu Mazen [Abbas] because he obstructs and is unhelpful,” says Liberman, according to Israel Radio.