Yesha Council chairman and Binyamin Regional Council Governor Israel Ganz spoke with journalist Amit Segal at the Yesha Council’s Sovereignty Conference on Monday about the need to advance sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Ganz has just returned from Washington, where he participated in CPAC, working to promote a resolution that was adopted at the conference stating that the US should recognize an Israeli move to apply sovereignty over the territories of Judea and Samaria. Ganz said on Monday that the issue of sovereignty must be at the top of the national priority list. "If you think the American administration will come and save us - that won’t happen. The one who will do it is Benjamin Netanyahu. He needs to push this forward." He stated that there is a willingness in Washington to support a move recognizing sovereignty. However, he added, "The United States will not take action beyond what the State of Israel requests from it." When asked whether applying sovereignty would harm a potential normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, Ganz was unequivocal: "Peace with Saudi Arabia or sovereignty? Unequivocally - sovereignty." Ganz explained that sovereignty is the key to true and stable peace. On the current situation on the ground, the head of the Binyamin Regional Council said that using terms like Areas A, B, and C is no longer relevant. "Those concepts died long ago and belong to the Oslo Accords, which have already expired. The territories of Judea and Samaria are part of the State of Israel." Related articles: 'The time has come to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria' 'It is for just such a time you have achieved royalty' 'We will support Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria' Committee to discuss bill on Jerusalem envelope sovereignty Addressing the question of whether sovereignty or increased housing construction in the area is preferable, Ganz argued that without sovereignty, additional construction would not be effective. "If you provide 20,000 housing units but they tell you there’s no electricity and no budgets because it’s not within the plan - it won’t work. We will continue to work hard and fulfill our duty so that we have a strong, pioneering, Zionist, and unique state that includes Judea and Samaria."
