Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich Demands Full-Scale Military Operation in Occupied West Bank

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks during the inauguration of new illegal Israeli outpost settlement Maale Arugot near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, September 2, 2026 [Abir Sultan/EPA]. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated that the Israeli military must go to war in the occupied West Bank and replicate its actions from Gaza.

In an interview published on Sunday with Ynet News, the minister used a biblical term to describe the occupied West Bank, declaring that Israel needs to go to war in Judea and Samaria, dismantle the Palestinian Authority, and eliminate what he called a terror authority.

Smotrich made these remarks when asked how Israel should address rising security tensions in the occupied West Bank. Israeli violence against Palestinians has steadily increased since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, with attacks intensifying significantly this year.

He emphasized that Israeli forces must be instructed to dismantle the region just as they did with Hamas in Gaza, ensuring no terror infrastructure, terrorists, weapons, or tunnels remain in Judea and Samaria.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) documented over 1,330 settler-related attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank between January and late July. This averages six attacks per day, marking the highest rate in roughly two decades.

Various settler groups, frequently backed or shielded by Israeli soldiers, have targeted Palestinians through shootings, home sieges, and communal violence described by experts as pogroms. Rights groups have cautioned that settlers are increasingly carrying military-issued weapons and wearing military uniforms during assaults, making it difficult to distinguish between settlers and soldiers.

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have implemented a comprehensive military closure across the occupied West Bank due to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. These strict movement restrictions on Palestinians will remain enforced until October 3.

Additionally, in occupied East Jerusalem, hundreds of Israelis entered the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday under heavy protection from Israeli police. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the individuals entered via the Moroccan Gate and performed Talmudic rituals, while Israeli forces tightened security measures around the mosque and throughout the Old City of Jerusalem.