On Sunday, Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich advocated for military action against Palestinians in the West Bank, an area under Israeli occupation since 1967. Smotrich, a prominent figure in the far-right political spectrum, also expressed support for the annexation of regions in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, both of which are currently under Israeli military control.
Israeli Minister Advocates for Territorial Annexation
The Israeli minister has expressed a desire for Israel to annex territory extending to the Yellow Line in Gaza and the Litani River in Lebanon. This line serves as a boundary that delineates the areas under the control of Hamas and Israel.
The Israeli attorney general’s office has now postponed the bidding deadline by a month, saying the move would reduce concerns that the tender could be used for election propaganda ahead of the October 27 vote.
Giving his reason behind the call for war and annexation, Smotrich said, “If a war ends along the same lines where it began, what will deter the enemy from going to war again. Smotrich’s far-right party advocates the annexation of the entire West Bank.
Opposition to E1 Plan
Because of its potential impact on the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state, approved last year after decades of being frozen, the project has faced international opposition, particularly. Israel’s housing ministry opened construction bids for the project in July. The E1 settlement project has drawn criticism from Palestinian rights groups, European governments and other international actors, who argue that its construction could undermine the territorial continuity needed for a viable Palestinian state. Six European countries, including the UK and France, urged Israel in August to halt the project. Palestinian rights groups also challenged the plan in an Israeli court, warning that it could result in the eviction of hundreds of Palestinians.
