The cabinet approved a plan in March to tackle violence by extremist settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, but it, along with harsh criticism by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the phenomenon, was not made public due to political considerations, according to a Monday report.

During deliberations on the plan, Netanyahu referred to the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank as a “metastasizing cancer,” Channel 13 news reported, citing what it said was the official summary of the discussion — which, if true, would be among the premier’s harshest comments on the matter.

The cabinet reportedly approved plans that included financial sanctions against violent Israeli hilltop youth in the West Bank. The plan’s title was said to be the biblical verse “Turn away from evil and do good” — with the first part meaning the elimination of the extremist violence, while the latter part referred to the expansion of settlements.

The plans approved by the government were not revealed for political reasons, with Netanyahu and other unspecified ministers wanting it to remain hidden, Channel 13 reported, citing unnamed Israeli sources.

Shin Bet head David Zini and other security officials pushed for the decision and for Netanyahu’s comments to be publicized, believing this could contribute to curbing the violence, but the cabinet refused, the network reported.

The report didn’t........

© The Times of Israel