Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has declared that imposing sovereignty over the occupied West Bank is the only way to eliminate the "threat" of a Palestinian state. He announced that 2025 will be the year Israel implements this policy, despite international law designating the West Bank as occupied Palestinian territory.
Speaking on Monday at a meeting of the Religious Zionism Party, which he leads, Smotrich also congratulated Donald Trump on his recent U.S. presidential election victory, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth. He argued that Trump’s win presents a valuable opportunity for Israel, noting that during Trump’s first term, from 2017 to 2021, "Trump led significant moves, including relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, acknowledging Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and legitimizing settlements in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)."
“We were on the verge of applying sovereignty over settlements in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) before the Biden administration,” Smotrich said. “Now, it’s time to act.” He also claimed there is broad consensus among both Israel's coalition and opposition against the establishment of a Palestinian state, which he argued would threaten Israel’s existence.
The far-right minister, in defiance of international law, asserted that "the only way to remove the threat of a Palestinian state from the agenda is to apply Israeli sovereignty over the settlements in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)." He stated that he has instructed the Settlement Division and Civil Administration, both under the Defense Ministry, to prepare the necessary infrastructure to implement this policy.
Preempting objections, Smotrich added: “Even if some protest, including Arab states, we have already proven through the Abraham Accords that when Israel stands firm, it gains support and recognition.”
Later, Smotrich wrote on X, “2025 – The year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.” This is not the first time Smotrich has raised the issue. In June, he confirmed reports from The New York Times that he had a “secret plan” to annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank and prevent it from becoming part of a future Palestinian state.
On July 19, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reaffirmed Palestinians' right to self-determination, asserting that Israeli settlements on occupied land must be dismantled. In an advisory opinion on the consequences of Israeli occupation, the court ruled that the occupied Palestinian territories constitute a “single territorial unit” that should be protected and respected.
The ICJ further stated that Israeli policies in these areas amount to de facto annexation and questioned the justification for extending Israeli law to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Israeli daily Hayom reports that senior government officials are drafting plans to extend sovereignty over specific settlement blocs in the occupied West Bank, approve thousands of new housing units, and lift sanctions on settlers in unauthorized outposts. Israeli estimates indicate that over 720,000 settlers now reside in West Bank settlements, including East Jerusalem, which are deemed illegal under international law.
Source: TRT World
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
