Journalist Yinon Magal confronted Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot over his position on the Palestinian Authority during an interview conducted alongside Ben Caspit on Radio 103FM.
"The Palestinian Authority is necessary at the moment because we don't want to rule over 2.8 million Palestinians and manage their lives," Eisenkot argued.
Magal challenged him, asking, "Don't you think they could turn their weapons against us?"
Eisenkot replied, "We need to make sure they don't do that. Today and tomorrow, the Shin Bet is coordinating with them on thwarting terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria, and that cooperation is taking place."
Magal pressed further. "Don't you think that one day all those weapons will be turned against us, just as Hamas did? After all, the Palestinians want to destroy us. In light of October 7, shouldn't we act preemptively and dismantle the Palestinian Authority?"
Eisenkot responded, "Destroying the Palestinian Authority and occupying Judea and Samaria would mean Israel going back to managing the lives of 2.8 million Palestinians. We did that when I was a brigade commander in the area in 1993. Do we want to go back to that? Do we want to undermine the Jewish majority? That could bring about the end of the Zionist enterprise."
He also criticized the Likud's campaign against him over the issue of Palestinian statehood.
"This is outrageous beyond belief. He's running a campaign against someone who fought Palestinian terrorism and thwarted terrorist attacks," Eisenkot said.
Magal then challenged Eisenkot over his position on construction in the E1 area connecting Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim.
"You oppose construction in E1 and talk about settlement blocs. That's paving the way for a Palestinian state," he argued.
Eisenkot rejected the accusation.
"I have never advocated two states for two peoples. Netanyahu found a true friend in Arafat and spoke in favor of a Palestinian state on four occasions. What I said was that at this time, when Israel is fighting a war on four fronts and needs international legitimacy that has collapsed, this is not the time to do it."
"But do you support building there?" Magal insisted.
Eisenkot replied, "Generally speaking, I support settlement in places where it serves our national and security interests."