Smotrich Gives Netanyahu 24-Hour Ultimatum on Terrorist Memorials

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding the dismantling of 40 memorials honoring terrorists in the West Bank. The demand follows Netanyahu's condemnation of MK Zvi Sukkot for destroying a memorial to a terrorist.

In a sharp letter sent to Netanyahu on Thursday, Smotrich stated his agreement with the principle that the state, not individuals, should act against incitement to terror. However, he criticized the perceived lack of systematic enforcement over the years, noting that such "memorials" have existed for a long time, often just minutes from Israeli towns.

Smotrich attached a list of 40 such memorials located throughout the West Bank and instructed Netanyahu to order the IDF to remove them within 24 hours. He concluded the letter by expressing his conviction that Netanyahu would comply, placing the onus on the Prime Minister to direct the military to act.

The move escalates the confrontation initiated by Sukkot's destruction of the memorial, with Smotrich joining Itamar Ben-Gvir in publicly challenging Netanyahu's stance. Netanyahu had previously clarified that such actions should be handled by state authorities, not by elected officials acting independently.

Sources close to Smotrich framed the demand as a logical extension of the government's stated position: if the state is responsible for acting against these memorials, it should do so immediately and systematically against all those on the provided list. As of the report, the Prime Minister's office had not yet responded to Smotrich's letter.