Israeli Finance Minister Calls for West Bank Annexation During Trump Presidency

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Facts

• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who holds a supervisory role in Israel's Defense Ministry for West Bank settlers, said earlier this week that he hoped Israel would annex the West Bank in 2025 after Donald Trump assumes the US presidency.^[1]
• Smotrich continued that he had instructed the Settlement Directorate of the Defense Ministry and the Civil Administration to begin preparing for annexation. Last month, Smotrich called for Israel to build settlements deep in Palestinian territory and to expel Palestinians 'harboring nationalist aspirations.'^[2]
• The Biden admin. — which still has another two months in office — called Smotrich's comments 'disturbing,' adding that the US supports 'a two-state solution as part of a negotiated process that provides for an independent Palestinian state, with security guarantees for Israel.'^[3][4]
• Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that the government had made no decision on West Bank annexation as of yet. The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, said any such intention is a breach of international law, adding that the US is complicit due to its support for Israel.^[5]
• Since Oct. 7, Palestinians in the West Bank have faced an escalation of settler attacks, with over 1K reports of settler violence, with over 1.3K Palestinians having been driven from their homes, according to Crisis Group. The expropriation of Palestinian land has also reportedly accelerated.^[6]
• Most world powers and the international community consider the settlements illegal, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declaring Israel's military presence in the territory unlawful earlier this year. Israel has said it has historical claims to the land and needs to be present there for its security.^[7][8]

Sources: ^[1]Reuters, ^[2]Timesofisrael, ^[3]NBC, ^[4]CBS, ^[5]Al Jazeera, ^[6]Crisisgroup, ^[7]Jerusalem Post and ^[8]NPR Online News.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by NBC. Smotrich's comments are disturbing and don't represent the official position of the Israeli or US governments. The only way to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is through a two-state solution in which Israel and a Palestinian state would peacefully coexist. Smotrich and politicians like him should be sidelined.
• Right narrative, as provided by Tablet Magazine. Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel was the final nail in the coffin for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the enclave has essentially existed as a terrorist-run proto-state, which is an existential threat to Israel's security. Settlement expansion and Israeli sovereignty are natural reactions to this reality.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Though the Israeli and Western media try to portray settlers as a fringe element of Israeli society, the state was founded on the basis of ethnic cleansing and land theft. Israeli leaders on the left and right have continued to approve settlement expansion, and Palestinian land has continued to recede since 1948. Indeed, Israel annexed the West Bank in all but name a long time ago, and Israeli politicians are increasingly open about Israel's intentions — the incremental destruction of Palestine.