Israeli minister calls for West Bank war, annexation of Lebanon, Gaza areas
Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Sunday for the annexation of parts of south Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and for Israeli forces to “go to war” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. “I would like us to annex at least as far as the yellow line in Gaza and as far as the Litani River in Lebanon… because if a war ends along the same lines where it began, what…
Far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the annexation of parts of south Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, and for Israeli forces to "go to war" against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Speaking on a podcast for Israeli news site Ynet, Smotrich suggested annexing territory up to the "yellow line" in Gaza and the Litani River in Lebanon, citing the possibility of deterrence against future Palestinian aggression.
He also advocated for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, an area occupied by Israel since 1967. Smotrich, leader of a far-right party, is pushing for annexation of the entire West Bank, a stance supported by various Israeli political leaders in both the ruling coalition and opposition, despite opposition from the Palestinian Authority, which condemned Smotrich's statements as calls for escalation, annexation, and displacement.
The West Bank has witnessed a surge in violence since the recent conflict in Gaza. At least 1,110 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers, while Israeli figures show at least 49 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations. Settlers' attacks against Palestinians have increased, often with little legal consequence.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, currently locked in a tight contest for re-election on Oct 27, has dismissed such violence as perpetrated by a "handful of rioters."
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- Israel minister's call for war, E1 settlement plan: A look at the West Bank crisis hindustantimes.com
- Israel’s Smotrich calls for ‘war’ in West Bank: Rhetoric or real threat? aljazeera.com
- Israel Police launch investigation into mock explosive found attached to Hamas flag in West Bank jpost.com
