Israeli minister calls for West Bank war, annexation of Lebanon, Gaza areas

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for annexing parts of south Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, and initiating a "war" against Palestinians in the West Bank during a recent podcast. The "yellow line" in Gaza signifies the area already under Israeli military control following a recent war initiated by Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. Smotrich advocates for "de facto sovereignty" in the West Bank, urging the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority that supports terrorism.

Various Israeli political figures, including those in the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition parties, oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state. The country is set to hold elections on October 27, with Netanyahu seeking re-election. Smotrich's call for war is deemed an explicit attempt to escalate tensions, annex territory, and undermine the prospects of an independent Palestinian state, according to the Palestinian Authority.

Since the outbreak of war in Gaza, the West Bank has witnessed a surge in violence, with at least 1,110 Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers, and at least 49 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations. Smotrich dismisses settlers' violence against Palestinians as perpetrated by a "handful of rioters."

The attorney general has postponed the deadline for construction bids for a major settlement project in the occupied West Bank, known as the E1 plan, in order to prevent its use for election propaganda. The planned settlement would further isolate Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank.