On August 17, 2016, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman unveiled his “carrot and stick” plan as a response to the wave of terrorism in the West Bank. The plan, which reflects the outline of a new policy he seeks to implement, rests on four pillars: (a) a distinction between the population involved and the population not involved in terrorism; (b) positive reinforcement for the latter population through infrastructure and economic development and a generous attitude to work permits in Israel; (c) sanctions and restrictions in areas from which terrorists set out and where violent incidents occur; and (d) an appeal to the Palestinian public in the West Bank, which bypasses the Palestinian Authority, instead of using the existing coordination channels – the mechanism for civilian coordination and the PA Ministry of Civil Affairs. Liberman also declared his intention of conducting a dialogue with academics, artists, and other powerful and influential parties in the territories, and of establishing a special website for dialogue with Palestinian society in general.

The underlying logic in the plan, namely, the distinction between different population groups and measures to improve the Palestinian economy, is not new; it is based on the defense establishment’s policy, as designed and formulated during the term of former Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon. It appears that Liberman has likewise accepted the defense establishment’s policy on the importance of increasing the number of work permits in Israel and avoiding harm to the daily life of the population not involved in terrorism and violence, as these measures help restrain violence. At the same time, Liberman’s plan is new in two respects: Israeli willingness to allocate land in Area C for economic and infrastructure development for the Palestinians, and the intention to bypass the PA for the purpose of dialogue with other powerful and influential parties in the territories, including through the designated website.

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