**Jerusalem, Israel** – Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a prominent figure in the far-right government, has announced plans to prepare for the annexation of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, following a request from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. This announcement comes amid ongoing military operations in Gaza and a backdrop of heightened tensions in Israeli-Palestinian relations.
On Monday, Smotrich stated that he had directed his department to “prepare the necessary infrastructure for applying sovereignty” to the settlements. However, it remains unclear whether this long-desired goal of applying full Israeli law to West Bank settlements can be achieved in the near future. The Prime Minister’s Office has yet to comment on the matter. Earlier, Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar indicated that while the subject of annexation had previously been discussed during Trump’s first term, no official decision has been made at this time.
The announcement drew immediate backlash from the Palestinian Authority, which condemned Smotrich’s remarks as part of a “blatantly colonial and racist” campaign against Palestinians. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority’s presidency, claimed the comments confirmed Israel’s intention to solidify control over the West Bank by 2025, holding both the Israeli government and the U.S. administration accountable for allowing continued aggression against the Palestinian people.
Smotrich characterized Trump’s election victory as an “important opportunity for the state of Israel.” He stated that the only way to eliminate the perceived threat of a Palestinian state is to apply Israeli sovereignty over all settlements in what he referred to as Judea and Samaria, the biblical name for the West Bank.
Israel has maintained control over the West Bank since capturing it from Jordan in 1967. The expansion of Jewish settlements in the area, which are deemed illegal under international law, has been a contentious issue, especially given the historical context of peace agreements with the Palestinians in the 1990s. Approximately half a million Israelis currently reside in these settlements.
In response to Smotrich’s announcement, Hamas denounced the comments as evidence of colonial intentions and as a repudiation of any prospects for peace and coexistence. Palestinian Islamic Jihad also condemned the remarks, viewing them as an admission of an ongoing war against the Palestinian people.
The violence in the region has escalated significantly since the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, which resulted in over 1,200 fatalities and numerous hostages taken. Since then, the death toll in Gaza has surged, with reports indicating over 43,500 casualties, primarily among women and children, according to health officials in the territory. Concurrently, more than 700 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank amid increased military operations and settler violence.
On the ground, Israeli airstrikes continue to impact civilians in Gaza, with recent strikes reported to have killed dozens. Israeli Foreign Minister Sa’ar suggested that while Israel remains open to ending military operations in Gaza, this would only occur after achieving stated objectives, ruling out the possibility of a separate Palestinian state due to security risks.
Meanwhile, leaders at the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Riyadh condemned Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank. The summit’s closing statement called for the UN Security Council and the international community to act against escalating illegal measures that threaten the two-state solution and to denounce Israel’s policies aimed at annexing Palestinian territories.