{
  "id": 16814850,
  "title": "Smotrich says he ‘won’t let’ Palestinian citizens celebrate election gains",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/smotrich-says-he-wont-let-palestinian-citizens-celebrate-election",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-27T23:17:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/smotrich-says-he-wont-let-palestinian-citizens-celebrate-election-gains"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Religious Zionism party leader Bezalel Smotrich has vowed his party \"won’t let\" Palestinian citizens of Israel celebrate election gains, according to Haaretz. Smotrich made the statement at an event hosted by his party as exit polls indicated Palestinian-led parties, the Joint List and the United Arab List, could gain up to 16-18 seats in the Knesset, a significant increase from their 10 seats in the previous term. Smotrich also warned these parties would not be able to halt the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, stating, \"They think they’ll be able to reverse the settlement revolution in Judea and Samaria, and I’m telling them they won’t succeed.\" He further expressed that, contrary to expectations, Jewish settlements would be established in Gaza.",
  "summary": "Smotrich says he ‘won’t let’ Palestinian citizens celebrate election gains Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said his party “won’t let” Palestinian citizens of Israel celebrate after exit polls projected major gains for Palestinian-led parties, Haaretz reported. “I can see on some of the screens that the Arabs are celebrating tonight. So I’m telling you and them: We won’t…",
  "key_points": [
    "Bezalel Smotrich vows party won't let Palestinian citizens celebrate election gains.",
    "Palestinian-led parties could gain 16-18 seats in the Knesset, up from 10.",
    "Smotrich warns Palestinian parties can't halt Israeli settlement expansion in occupied territories."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}