Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Ya'alon observe a war drill in the Golan Heights, June 26, 2013. Photo: Israel GPO.

JNS.org – Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon met Tuesday with the leaders of the Judea and Samaria communities and said that a future agreement with the Palestinians was unlikely to include the eviction of Jewish communities beyond the 1967 lines. He added that Israel should focus on “creating deterrence, not peace deals.”

“We have somehow become accustomed to the fact that just hearing the word ‘peace,’ just hearing it, instinctively spells ceding territory,” Ya’alon was quoted by the Walla news website as saying during the gathering, which was held in the Shomron Regional Council community of Barkan.

“The Middle East is about interests, not signed agreements, and interests are based on carrots and sticks,” he said. “In the Middle East it is actually carrots and clubs. Judea and Samaria are Israel’s homefront and therefore we must make them stronger.”

Ya’alon added, “Contrary to popular belief, the demographics are in our favor.”