Smotrich Holds Knesset Faction Meeting Under Heavy Police Guard in Northern Israel

Religious Zionism party leader and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich convened an urgent faction meeting near Majd al-Krum in northern Israel, under heavy security provided by hundreds of police officers and Border Police. The meeting, attended by faction members and candidates, aimed to advance the movement's goal of expanding settlement efforts from Judea and Samaria to the Negev and Galilee regions.

Smotrich sharply criticized the security and governance situation in the Galilee, stating that the presence of hundreds of police officers and patrol vehicles resembled a military operation in Gaza. He described the scene as evidence of Israel's lost sovereignty and governance in the region, posing a threat to national security. He lamented the inability to clearly state that Israel is building, planting, and settling the Galilee, drawing a parallel to the caution Israel exercised on October 6th, fearing escalation from minor incidents.

He argued that the fear of establishing a simple grazing point due to violent protests promotes a policy of conflict avoidance that ultimately amplifies threats. Smotrich vowed that this situation would end in the next term, with his movement taking full responsibility for Judaizing the Negev and Galilee. He asserted that Jewish settlement and land control lead to governance and security, aiming to replicate the success of Judea and Samaria in the north and south.

Smotrich announced that registration has opened for initial settlement groups, with over 500 families already signed up. The movement's objective is to bring an additional million Jews to the Negev and Galilee, establish 40 new communities and agricultural farms, expand existing settlements, and provide hundreds of thousands of housing solutions.