The proposed transfer of significant parts of Area C to the control of the Palestinian Authority (PA) will be detrimental to Israel's national interest, if only because these territories are almost completely devoid of any Palestinian population. As such, they afford not only a strong security grip but the possibility of extensive Jewish settlement without threatening Israel’s Jewish and democratic character. Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s meticulous and detailed demarcation of Area C in the Oslo Accords underscores the great importance he accorded to Israel's continued retention of this territory.

The domestic and international outcry at President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital suggests that Israel's position in the West Bank is far from secure. If Israel wishes to secure a future for Jews in the West Bank, ordinary Palestinians there must also benefit from – and express their support for – coexistence with Jews.