Smotrich announces plan to judaise Negev and Galilee
Smotrich announces plan to judaise Negev and Galilee Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Fri, 08/28/2026 - 14:53 Israeli finance minister vows to replicate his West Bank settlement expansion Bedouin look on as a family demolish their home after the Israeli authorities served demolition notices, ordering the owners to tear down their own premises or face being charged a hefty fee for the state to do…
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has unveiled a plan to judaise the Negev and Galilee regions in Israel, mirroring the settlement expansion policies he implemented in the West Bank over the past four years. Smotrich's goal is to increase the number of Jewish residents in these areas by one million, establish 40 new communities, and develop dozens of farms and housing solutions.
The far-right minister also plans to cancel any expansion projects in Arab communities, which have encroached on land reserves and threaten Jewish settlements. Smotrich will seek control over two key Israeli land planning agencies, signaling a potential shift in the way land is allocated and utilized in these regions. Critics argue that Smotrich's plan is an apartheid scheme, as it would further entrench a divide between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel.
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