An influential Israeli official, Bezalel Smotrich, has been recorded describing a plan to increase Israel's control over the West Bank without formally annexing it. Smotrich, who serves as the far-right Finance Minister, has been given significant new powers over the occupied West Bank and its Palestinian population. This move is part of a stealthy effort by the Israeli government to cement control over the region, with the aim of preventing the West Bank from becoming part of a Palestinian state. The plan involves shifting West Bank occupation to Israeli settler control, raising fears of an all-out annexation. The New York Times reported that Israel's military has quietly handed these powers to Smotrich.
BREAKING: Hardcore Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich announces in a meeting with his Religious Zionism party his intention to issue legislation imposing “Israeli sovereignty” over the occupied West Bank. https://t.co/4sVzdMBio3
Far-right minister Smotrich: I intend to make West Bank an integral part of Israel, my life's mission is to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state https://t.co/HyGMnsEWeN
Israel's Bezalel Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to control of Israeli settlers https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
Israel's Bezalel Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to control of Israeli settlers ⬇️ https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
Israel's Bezalel Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to Israeli settler control https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
Israel's Bezalel Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to Israeli settler control 👇 https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
Israel's Bezalel Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to Israeli settler control ⬇️ https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
Israel's Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to Israeli settler control https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
Israel's Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to Israeli settler control 👇 https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
NYT: Israel's Smotrich recorded describing plan to increase control over West Bank https://t.co/d5oBt50kzJ
Israel's Smotrich plans to shift West Bank occupation to Israeli settler control ⬇️ https://t.co/CRU35uKfIg
Israel's extreme-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has been quietly been given sweeping new powers in the West Bank https://t.co/NdczAa57MR
Israel's military has quietly handed far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich significant new powers in the West Bank with fears of an all-out annexation https://t.co/NdczAa57MR
Officials under Israel’s far-right settler minister Bezalel Smotrich have just been given more powers over the occupied West Bank and its Palestinian population. Al Jazeera's @soraya_lennie explains. https://t.co/2FrQrOEO2l
Netanyahu’s far-right minister Smotrich told West Bank settlers that the government is engaged in a stealthy effort to cement Israel’s control over it without formally annexing it in to prevent the West Bank from becoming part of a Palestinian state. https://t.co/gkqpmb1PAp
BREAKING: An influential Israeli official said in a taped speech that the government was engaged in a stealthy effort to cement control over the West Bank. - NYT