A report published by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed the methods used by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in the West Bank to consolidate the policy of annexing it to Israel.
The newspaper’s political analyst, Nahum Barnea, said that Smotrich, who heads the “Religious Zionism Party,” leads with one arm the Finance Minister, and with the other arm he has powers in the Ministry of Defense through his position as Minister of Civil Affairs, which is affiliated with this ministry.
The writer spoke about a series of steps that make the role of the army in the West Bank meaningless, work to overthrow the Palestinian Authority, and strip the Palestinians of their property.
Dismantling power and creating facts
Barnea went so far as to say that “Smotrich seeks to give 7 million Palestinians the choice of dying in battle, being deported abroad, or becoming second-class citizens forever.”
“The urgent task is to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, dispossess the residents of the territories under Israeli control, and create a reality on the ground that prevents any possibility of geographical division in any peace agreement,” he said.
“As finance minister, he freezes, delays or prevents the transfer of tax revenues that Israel collects for the Palestinian Authority (tax revenues that Israel deducts on goods entering the Authority through Israeli crossings, known as clearance revenues), which allow the Palestinian Authority to pay the salaries of its 140,000 employees, including members of the security services “who fight terrorism,” he added. “Because of its financial crisis, the Palestinian Authority pays them only 50% of their salaries.”
The writer explained another trick the Ministry of Finance uses, by using the “Terrorism Victims Compensation” law to deduct money from the Authority, considering it responsible for any Palestinian operations against Israel, because it pays money to the families of martyrs.
He stated that another method used by Smotrich to oppress the Palestinians is not allowing workers to enter Israel, contrary to the wishes of the Israeli army, which believes that allowing them to work will lead to easing tensions between them.
Annexation and deportation
As for the second arm in the Ministry of Defense, Barnea confirmed that the government gave Smotrich comprehensive powers that enabled him to quickly implement the coup he wanted in the West Bank, which is the actual annexation and expulsion of Palestinians from Area C (the area subject to the Palestinian Authority civilly and to Israel militarily), noting that he appointed settler Hillel Roth as deputy head of the Civil Administration (Governor of the West Bank), who himself is actually subordinate to the Settlement Administration, a political body in Smotrich’s office in the Ministry of Defense.
He said this would mean reducing the army’s powers over the administration of Palestinian territories when it comes to civil services such as construction, water, antiquities, etc.
He added that during the past 18 months, Palestinians in Area C have not received any building permits, while demolitions have become routine, while the trend was the opposite in Jewish settlement, where land confiscations and the number of building permits have quadrupled.
“In addition, dozens of outposts are being established without permits. There are more than 100 farms and outposts in the heart of Palestinian grazing areas, where the illegal construction law is not enforced on the settlers, and with the encouragement of the responsible minister, the Civil Administration currently imposes a complete and comprehensive ban on enforcing the law on building violators except in rare cases, for urgent security considerations,” he said.
Ben Gvir’s police terrorism
The writer also highlighted the power enjoyed by the Israeli Minister of Security. Itamar Ben Gvir“The Judea and Samaria (West Bank) police are acting in the spirit of Ben-Gvir. They refrain from stopping Jewish violence and terrorism, and settler detainees are released immediately. He also does not hesitate to intervene specifically and issue instructions to police officers,” he said.
He also referred to Minister Smotrich’s statement in response to critics of his policy in a post on the X platform, which read: “My life’s mission is to build the Land of Israel and thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger the State of Israel. It is not political. It is my homeland and my existence. That is why I have taken it upon myself. I will continue to work with all my might so that the half a million settlers who are on the front lines and under fire enjoy the rights of every citizen of Israel, and to establish facts on the ground that will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian terrorist state, which, God forbid, will be an advanced Iranian base for the next massacre in Kfar Saba, Raanana and the entire center of the country.”
Barnea considered that the settlers’ practices and their sponsorship by Ben-Gvir and Smotrich will not only lead to violent Palestinian reactions, but will also strengthen the condemnation of Israeli leaders before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and said, “What happens in the West Bank does not stay in the West Bank.”
