West Bank: A Call for Annexation from Israeli Minister

In a surprising move, Israel’s new finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has directed his department to get ready for the annexation of settlements in the West Bank. Smotrich, who oversees settlements, made this announcement on Monday, stating that his team should prepare to apply Israeli law to these areas. However, it's uncertain if this plan will materialize soon, as it might just be a political maneuver in Israel’s complex domestic politics. Smotrich sees the recent US election result as an opportunity for Israel. He believes that the only way to eliminate the "threat" of a Palestinian state is by extending Israeli sovereignty over all West Bank settlements. The term "Judea and Samaria" is often used by Israelis to refer to the West Bank. Israel has controlled the West Bank since the 1967 war, and over the years, it has expanded Jewish settlements there. These settlements are considered illegal under international law, despite previous peace agreements with the Palestinians. Around 500, 000 Israelis live in these West Bank settlements. Smotrich, who himself is a settler, has always advocated for applying Israeli law in these areas. He aims to lead a government decision that will allow Israel to work with the new US administration and the international community to achieve recognition for these settlements. During his first term, former US President Donald Trump supported Israel by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. Smotrich hopes to build on these steps to gain support for his annexation plans. "I've told the Settlement Division and the Civil Administration to start preparing the necessary infrastructure for applying sovereignty, " Smotrich said on Monday. He added that Trump's previous actions, like the Abraham Accords, which saw Israel normalize relations with four Arab nations, paved the way for this move. Both the Palestinian Authority and Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office have been approached for their reactions to Smotrich’s announcement, but no comments have been received yet. This story is still developing.