Smotrich Calls for ‘Encouraging Migration’ of Palestinians, Pushes for West Bank Sovereignty
Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly advocated for policies aimed at significantly reducing the Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including actively “encouraging migration” and asserting full Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territories. The comments, made late Tuesday at a conference focused on strengthening the Jewish presence in the West Bank, have drawn immediate criticism and renewed concerns about the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Speaking at the event, Smotrich stated that the next Israeli government should pursue a strategy of incentivizing Palestinians to leave the West Bank. He framed this as a means to eliminate the possibility of a future Palestinian state, declaring, “We will eliminate the idea of an Arab terror state.”
This is not a new position for Smotrich, a prominent figure in the Religious Zionist Party and a long-time advocate for the annexation of the West Bank. According to reporting from Al Jazeera, Smotrich has consistently worked towards rewriting international law and claiming the West Bank for Israel, viewing the territory as biblically entitled to the Jewish people. His demands for control over the West Bank were a key condition for joining Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government in 2022.
The push for “encouraging migration” comes alongside a broader effort to expand Israeli control over the West Bank. Recent government rules, announced earlier this month, have made it easier for Israeli citizens to purchase land in the West Bank, effectively facilitating the expansion of illegal settlements. These rules allow Israelis to acquire land in the West Bank under the same conditions as they would in any other part of Israel, such as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
Smotrich’s statements also included a call for the imposition of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, a move that would formally annex the territory and further complicate any prospects for a two-state solution. He reportedly made similar comments on February 12th, signaling a continued commitment to this goal.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Smotrich also announced his intention to cancel the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements signed in the 1990s that laid the groundwork for a potential peace process between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Cancelling the Oslo Accords would dismantle the existing framework for Palestinian self-governance in parts of the West Bank.
The implications of Smotrich’s proposals are far-reaching. Critics argue that policies aimed at displacing Palestinians would constitute a violation of international law and further entrench the occupation. The international community has largely condemned Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank as illegal under international law, and the prospect of annexation has been met with widespread opposition.
While the extent to which Smotrich’s proposals will be adopted by the next Israeli government remains to be seen, his prominent position as Finance Minister and his influence within the ruling coalition suggest that these policies could gain traction. His statements reflect a growing trend within the Israeli government towards a more assertive and uncompromising approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
