Smotrich Demands Immediate Action Against Terror Villages in West Bank

Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for urgent and decisive military action against Palestinian villages in the West Bank from which terror attacks have been launched. Speaking ahead of a security cabinet meeting on Friday, Smotrich emphasized the need to restore deterrence and security following a series of deadly attacks in the region, including incidents at Gilad Farm and Abraham Farm.

Smotrich specifically targeted the villages of Tell, Iraq Burin, and Beit Furik, which are near recent attack sites, describing them as terror hubs that should be treated like the refugee camps in Nablus and Tulkarm. He advocated for evacuating the civilian population for their protection and clearing these villages of terror infrastructure and militants.

In addition to offensive operations, Smotrich urged the Israel Defense Forces to conduct clearing works to establish defensive zones around settlements, roads, and farms that form the state's security belt. He also announced plans to request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the immediate establishment of a new settlement at the Sela outpost near the attack site. This would involve reclassifying the area from Area B to Area C under Israeli control, which Smotrich described as a "fitting Zionist response" to terror aimed at undermining Jewish presence in the land.