Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will not hand over territory to the Palestinian Authority. Photo: GPO.

JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel will not hand over territory to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Speaking to a meeting of Likud party ministers, the prime minister denied recent reports suggesting that the government planned to transfer 10,000 dunams (2,500 acres) of land over to PA control as a confidence-building measure.

“There will not be any transfer of land,” Netanyahu said. “Not 40,000 dunams, not 10,000, and not even one [square] meter.”

Israeli Science, Technology and Space Minister Ofir Akunis also denied the recent reports.

“After the delusional idea of transferring weapons to the Palestinians,” Akunis said, referring to remarks to the media by an anonymous IDF officer who said the IDF would recommend easing restrictions on the Palestinians to calm tensions, “we are hearing about the initiative by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories to hand over 10,000 dunams. We cannot let this happen.”