Israeli Minister Smotrich Visits Galilee Site Amid Tensions

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, accompanied by his party and supporters, entered the Rus area near the town of Majd al-Krum in the Galilee on Thursday morning under heavy security presence. The visit followed an attempt by right-wing activists to establish a settlement outpost in the area, which was dismantled after local Arab residents protested for over a week. Local officials described the incident and Smotrich's visit as provocative political maneuvers aimed at garnering electoral support and advancing a strategy to extend settlement policies from the West Bank into the Galilee and the Negev.

Suleim Salibi, head of the Majd al-Krum local council, stated that the recent events, including attacks by "hilltop youth" and the attempted outpost, are part of a broader right-wing effort to "Judaize the Galilee." He noted that while the initial outpost was dismantled due to popular resistance, attempts to establish a presence are likely to continue, with the Jewish National Fund currently seeking alternative land under the guise of a "pasture." Salibi emphasized that Smotrich's visit was not just to a JNF-controlled area but also to land within Majd al-Krum's jurisdiction, highlighting a shift in how Arab towns in the Galilee are being treated.

Rami Haidar, a member of Majd al-Krum's popular committee, explained that Smotrich's visit served two purposes: to provoke and gain votes by portraying Arab residents as a threat, and to project an image of victory after the previous week's setback with the outpost's removal. Haidar added that local leadership decided not to give Smotrich the confrontational image he sought, opting instead to focus on defending their land.

Right-wing activists had previously placed Israeli flags near Majd al-Krum, an act seen as a provocation. Smotrich's Religious Zionism party had announced plans for a faction meeting at the former outpost site, which was rejected by local authorities who viewed it as an attempt to impose a settlement reality. The dismantled outpost was built on land partly owned by a local resident and partly controlled by the Jewish National Fund. Future plans reportedly involve re-establishing the outpost nearby on JNF-controlled land, which was formerly Palestinian property before the 1948 Nakba, with security provided by the Hashomer Hachadash organization.