Israel's Minister Pushes for Stronger Borders and Big Changes

A top Israeli official has some strong ideas about what should happen next in the region. Bezalel Smotrich, who is the Finance Minister and also has a role in the Defense Ministry, thinks Israel needs to take control of certain areas and make sure its borders are safe. He was talking about this at a meeting in Jerusalem. Smotrich said the upcoming talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U. S. President Donald Trump should focus on setting up "defensible borders. " He mentioned three key areas: Gaza, Lebanon, and Judea and Samaria.Smotrich believes Israel needs to take action to prevent another attack like the one that happened on October 7, 2023. He thinks Israel should stop following the old agreements from the Oslo Accords and start taking control of Judea and Samaria. He also wants to get rid of the Palestinian Authority and make sure all weapons in the area are collected. Even though Israel has had some successes against groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, Smotrich says the threats are still there. He and Netanyahu have been discussing these issues and will keep talking about them. Netanyahu is getting ready for his sixth meeting with Trump. This meeting is set to happen on December 29 at Trump's home in Florida. This is a big deal because it shows that Israel is thinking seriously about its future and how to keep its people safe. It's also important because the U. S. has a big role in what happens in the Middle East.