New West Bank Settlement Inaugurated Days After Deadly Attack

The new settlement of "Matzukei Eretz" was inaugurated in eastern Benjamin on Wednesday, just days after a deadly attack in the region claimed the life of Natanel Kron. The settlement, located on the Alon Road between Rimmonim and Kochav Hashahar, is one of 13 new settlements in Benjamin approved by the Israeli cabinet and currently being promoted by the Benjamin Regional Council.

Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry, Bezalel Smotrich, who spearheaded the settlement's establishment, attended the ceremony. He presented figures on construction and settlement regularization, stating that "today's inauguration joins 104 new settlements we have established in Judea and Samaria, 30 of them in Benjamin alone." Smotrich added that since the beginning of the current term, 60,000 housing units have been approved in Judea and Samaria, with 15,000 in Benjamin. He also noted the declaration of 30,250 dunams of state land and the establishment of 160 agricultural farms to strengthen Israeli presence and protect nearly a million dunams of state land.

Smotrich detailed significant investments in security, public buildings, and infrastructure, alongside support for agriculture and grazing, preparing the ground for one million settlers. He thanked the head of the Benjamin Regional Council, Israel Gantz, and the settlement management team for their efforts.

Shifting to political matters, Smotrich criticized Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman's proposal regarding Jordanian involvement in the region. "Lieberman is talking about Jordanian legions controlling the area where we are now. This sounds absurd, but it is the absolute truth," Smotrich stated, calling it a "loss of value-based sanity" from those who once belonged to the national camp but chose hatred over action. He concluded with a call to action for the upcoming elections, urging everyone to work hard for a right-wing victory.