Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the annexation of substantial portions of the occupied West Bank, coinciding with a wave of international announcements supporting the recognition of a Palestinian state. His comments come as Belgium joined a growing list of Western nations, including Australia, Canada, and France, expressing intentions to recognize Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly.
In his remarks, Smotrich asserted that the time has come for Israel to extend its sovereignty over the West Bank, referring to the region by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria. He argued that such a move would eliminate discussions surrounding the division of land and the potential establishment of an independent Palestinian state, which he described as a “terrorist state.”
The Palestinian Authority swiftly condemned Smotrich’s annexation proposals. The Palestinian foreign ministry expressed strong disapproval of Smotrich’s inflammatory rhetoric and his calls to escalate settlement activities in the occupied territory.
Smotrich outlined his vision for annexation, advocating for Israeli sovereignty over “all open areas” of the West Bank, framing the strategy as “maximum land with minimum (Palestinian) population.” He revealed that the settlements administration in the Israeli defense ministry has recently mapped out plans that would bring approximately 82 percent of the West Bank under Israeli control.
Amidst these developments, France is taking a leadership role in advocating for the recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly, aiming to revive the long-stalled two-state solution framework between Israelis and Palestinians. Smotrich criticized this initiative, characterizing it as an attempt by the Palestinian Authority to undermine Israel and its sovereignty.
He insisted that his call for annexation should be viewed as a preemptive measure against what he perceives to be geopolitical threats facing Israel and the future of its citizens, emphasizing the necessity of applying sovereignty over Judea and Samaria in response to what he termed a “political attack” on the state.
