Bennet: US insisted that Israel withdraw from Gaza

Israeli Economics Minister Naftali Bennet says the US has made many mistakes in its Middle East Policy, and it is Israel that has paid for those mistakes.

Speaking to Israel Radio, Bennett pointed out to a range of what he said were errors and miscalculations by the U.S., vowing that he would not allow Washington to impose "yet another tragic mistake on Israel."

“Washington insisted on instituting elections for the Palestinians, and they elected Hamas,” Bennett said. “Washington insisted that Israel withdraw from Gaza, and in return we got tens of thousands of rockets on southern Israel, after democratically elected Hamas took over Gaza.”

"Now, a new idea has cropped up– having NATO troops defend Israel in the Jordan Valley and other areas that Israel withdraws from in" the West Bank as part of a final-status agreement with the Palestinian Authority," he said, adding that like the other ideas the U.S. has had, this one would bring tragedy to Israel.

“We will never let anyone else be responsible for our security,” said Bennett.