Smotrich vows to Judaize Arab-majority areas in Israel's periphery 'like in the West Bank'

As Israel prepares for the upcoming election, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has unveiled a bold and confrontational plan to significantly expand Jewish settlement in the Negev and Galilee regions. The "Yes. Judaize!" program, led by the far-right Religious Zionism party, aims to increase the Jewish population in these areas by 1 million people through the establishment of 40 new communities, agricultural farms, large-scale town expansions, and hundreds of thousands of new housing units.

Smotrich, the party's leader, vowed to bypass procedures and personnel to push the settlement agenda forward. He accused state planning authorities of pursuing a "post-Zionist" approach over the past two decades, which he claims has led to disproportionate growth of Arab communities while limiting Jewish settlement expansion. To achieve his goals, Smotrich plans to control the Planning Administration and the Israel Land Authority, central state bodies that play crucial roles in planning and land development.

The program also tackles crime, illegal weapons, and state authority in Arab communities. Smotrich cites a Shin Bet (Israel's domestic security agency) estimate of 1 million illegal weapons in Arab society, calling for emergency legislation that would treat possession of illegal weapons as a terrorism offense. He also plans to impose harsh penalties, such as a ten-year prison sentence, for illegal weapon possession.

Smotrich believes the current criminal process is inadequate for dealing with the terrorism threat and estimates the prison facility for additional detainees at around 1.2 billion shekels. He emphasizes the need for good judges in the next government to ensure the success of the program. Smotrich asserts that if the left appoints judges, the Arab communities will continue to dominate the regions.