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Israel

Right-wing MK ‘Give Palestinians Israeli citizenship’

March 4, 2010 15:57

By

Nathan Jeffay,

Nathan Jeffay

2 min read

Tzipi Hotovely, an MK on the right flank of the Likud, surprised political observers last month by saying that Israel should give citizenship to Palestinians in the West Bank.

The country's political centre is increasingly talking about this scenario - but as a potentially disastrous move that will be forced on them if attempts to create a Palestinian state fail.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak said earlier this month that Israel needs a Palestinian state to come into existence because, without one, it has only two options - to become a "bi-national country" or "an apartheid country".

But Ms Hotovely claims that having just one state between Jordan and the Mediterranean need not lead to either of these options. There would be "no real demographic danger" in giving full citizenship to West Bank Palestinians, she said, explaining that Israel's Jewish majority is guaranteed for the foreseeable future.