Begin’s policies toward the occupied territories had…

Begin’s policies toward the occupied territories had become increasingly annexationist following the original Likud victory.

He views the Likud's current margin of victory, which is larger than it had been in 1977, as a mandate to pursue a more aggressive policy in the territories.

In November 1981, Sharon installs a civilian administration in the West Bank headed by Menachem Milson, who immediately sets out to stifle rapidly growing Palestinian nationalist sentiments: he deposes pro-PLO mayors, dissolves the mayors' National Guidance Committee, and shuts two Arab newspapers and Bir Zeit University.

Milson establishes village leagues in the West Bank consisting of pro-Jordanian Palestinians to counter the PLO's growing strength there.

The leadership of the village leagues has a limited base of support, however, especially because the growth of Jewish settlements has adversely affected Arab villagers.