Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has left open whether he would dismantle the Palestinian Authority after a deadly West Bank attack, AFP reported, days before Israel's Oct. 27 election.
Two Israeli soldiers died near Hebron on Oct. 23 in an attack by Palestinian militants. Netanyahu promised a massive response by Israel's military, AFP reported. One of his far-right allies urged Israel to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, which has semi-autonomous control in parts of the West Bank and coordinates with Israel under agreements dating to the 1990s.
In an interview with i24News late Oct. 23, Netanyahu said the authority faced a “very big surprise” and that he favored “ruse and surprise.” He did not directly answer whether he would dismantle it, AFP reported.
AFP reported that no evidence linked the Palestinian Authority to the attack. Netanyahu and his main election rival, Gadi Eisenkot, both oppose creating a Palestinian state. EconoTimes previously covered the election's divisions over Palestinian statehood. Israelis vote Oct. 27.
