that some of the major Jewish settlements must be dismantled so the new Palestinian
state can be a contiguous unit on the West Bank.
Following are the texts of two documents. The first is a communiqué issued by the
Israeli cabinet on July 26, 1974, following the expulsion of Gush Emunim mem-
bers from the abandoned railway station of Sebastia, near the city of Nablus in the
West Bank. The second is a speech delivered on July 31, 1974, by Israeli prime
minister Yitzhak Rabin to the Knesset on the authorized establishment of settlements.DOCUMENT
Cabinet Communiqué on
Israeli Settlements
JULY26, 1974Settlements in the Administered territories are established solely in accordance with
the government’s decisions. The government will prevent any attempt at settling with-
out its approval and decision.
The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence are authorized to implement this
policy.
The proposals put forward by the Prime Minister were passed unanimously.
SOURCE:Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Foreign%20Relations/Israels%20Foreign%20
Relations%20since%201947/1974-1977/17%20Cabinet%20communique%20on%20settlements%20in%20
the%20West%20B.DOCUMENT
Statement by Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin on Settlements
JULY31, 1974Mr. Speaker, Members of the Knesset,
On the Thursday of last week, when I learned the facts about the Sebastia inci-
dent, I had no doubt about the negative significance of the act. The Attorney-
General was consulted and expressed the opinion that this was a breach of the law. I
had no doubt that it was the duty of the government to expel the people who had
occupied the location without its approval, as governments of Israel have done since
the Six-Day War. I submitted the subject to the entire cabinet. The government of
182 ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS