Israeli Finance Minister Advocates for Gaza-Style Destruction in West Bank
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has advocated for the destruction of military infrastructure in the West Bank, echoing calls for targeting militants, tunnels, and the complete confiscation of weapons in the region. These statements were made in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
The remarks coincide with the Israeli army increasing its alert level in the West Bank, deploying additional military forces ahead of the Sukkot holiday. These measures have been accompanied by tightened military restrictions, the injury of a Palestinian girl, and attacks by settlers.
The far-right Israeli minister announced that 22 new settlement points were established in the West Bank over the past summer, describing them as “amazing and creating a sense of security.”
Smotrich also called for further suppression of the Palestinian population, stating, “If cars in the West Bank become a weapon for car-ramming attacks, they should not be allowed to travel on the streets.”
The Israeli army has raised its alert level and dispatched reinforcements to the West Bank in anticipation of the Sukkot holidays. These movements occurred concurrently with a Palestinian girl being injured by army gunfire north of occupied Jerusalem.
The Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reported that a girl was targeted by army soldiers during a search at Qalandia checkpoint, north of occupied Jerusalem, early Sunday morning. Details regarding her exact health condition remain unclear.
The Israeli website Walla, citing a military official, reported concerns about the potential escalation of operations and the necessity of troop reinforcement. Consequently, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army decided to deploy additional military brigades to the West Bank.
The newspaper Maariv reported that the Israeli army has begun deploying forces to the West Bank due to concerns about potential confrontations, given the expected presence of hundreds of thousands of Israelis in West Bank areas during the holiday week.
In line with these developments, occupation forces blocked the Atara and Ein Siniya checkpoints, as well as the entrances to the towns of Abud and Al-Nabi Saleh, north of Ramallah, on Saturday night.
WAFA reported that occupation forces stopped citizens’ vehicles and conducted thorough searches, resulting in the detention of hundreds of cars for hours and causing heavy traffic jams on routes leading to Ramallah and surrounding villages. These actions are part of the ongoing intensification of military restrictions and the creation of obstacles to citizen movement in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorates.
Meanwhile, groups of settlers attacked the village of Abu Falah, east of Ramallah, early Sunday morning, setting fire to several residents’ vehicles.
These attacks are part of a growing trend of settler actions against citizens and their property across the West Bank governorates, carried out with the support of occupation forces. These actions include direct assaults, arson of vehicles and homes, uprooting trees, and land confiscation.
