Israel's Smotrich calls for war in West Bank and dismantling of Palestinian Authority

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for Israel to "go to war" in the West Bank, dismantle the Palestinian Authority, and adopt military operations akin to those in Gaza. Speaking on Ynet's podcast, Smotrich, who heads the Religious Zionism party, advocated for dismantling the so-called "terror infrastructure" in the West Bank and preventing armed groups from operating in the territory.

He insisted Israel needed to wage war there to eliminate the Palestinian Authority, which he deemed a terror authority, until there were "no terrorists, no weapons, and no tunnels" in the West Bank. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced Smotrich's statements as "dangerous calls for war," a call for escalation, and annexation, warning that they undermine the prospects for an independent Palestinian state.

They described Smotrich's remarks as a reflection of policies pursued by the Israeli government through killings, displacement, settlement expansion, and land seizure, and urged the international community to take immediate and concrete measures to compel Israel to end these actions.