Smotrich Calls for 'War' in West Bank, Dismantling Palestinian Authority

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party leader Bezalel Smotrich has outlined his goals for the next term, calling for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and the elimination of terrorism in the West Bank, drawing a parallel to operations in Gaza. He stated that the goal is to "kill all terrorists and collect all weapons" in the West Bank, asserting that "there will be no terror infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, no terrorists, no weapons, no tunnels." Smotrich also warned against the potential impact of a new political party led by former IDF General Ofer Winter, suggesting that votes for Winter's party would be "thrown in the trash" and could lead to the rise of the left, the establishment of a Palestinian state, and harm to Israel's Jewish identity.

Smotrich expressed his desire for parties to the right of the Likud to run together, stating he had worked to unite them. He clarified his stance on including "Zionist Arabs" in political lists, stating he has no issue with them, citing Druze citizens as brothers. However, he reiterated his strong opposition to including the United Arab List (Ra'am) in any coalition, explaining his doctoral research on the Islamic Movement's "Taqiyya" strategy of concealing its true aims while gaining power through civilian activities, ultimately seeking Israel's destruction.

He also declared he would not join a "unity government" with the "change bloc," emphasizing his commitment to the "national camp" defined by shared values of Jewish identity, Zionism, love of the land, settlement, and a specific security outlook. Smotrich believes that any party sharing these values is welcome to join, but he will not be a "fig leaf" in a government that manipulates public consciousness under the guise of unity.