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Israeli Minister Proposes West Bank Land Seizure Plan Amid EU Sanctions
(MENAFN) Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Monday that he has put forward a proposal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at taking control of strategic territories in the occupied West Bank, shortly after the European Union introduced new sanctions targeting Israeli settlers and associated organizations.
Speaking on the social media platform X, Smotrich said the plan focuses on land across Areas A, B, and C of the West Bank, marking a significant escalation in policy direction.
"I presented the Prime Minister with a plan to seize strategic areas in the West Bank in Areas A, B and C,” he said on the US social media company X.
His comments followed a decision by EU foreign ministers to approve additional sanctions against individuals and groups linked to settlement activity in the occupied territory.
Smotrich strongly criticized the European move, accusing the EU of double standards in its approach.
"European hypocrisy knows no bounds," Smotrich said.
He also rejected external pressure on Israel’s policies, arguing that such demands would not influence national decision-making.
"No one will force the State of Israel to pursue a policy of national suicide," he claimed.
The Israeli minister further called for expanding and reinforcing settlements while increasing control over what he described as Israeli territory.
He urged what he termed “strengthening the settlements” and “deepening control” over the land, adding that the West Bank plays a central role in Israel’s security framework.
“The West Bank is Israel's security belt, and it is time to make it clear to the world that anyone who tries to weaken our control over it will face dire consequences."
The statement comes against the backdrop of long-standing international debates over the West Bank, which remains a key area in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Oslo Accords, signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, were originally designed to establish a framework for Palestinian self-governance and pave the way toward a future two-state solution.
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