Smotrich Demands Dismantling Terror Networks as Condition for Joining Next Israeli Government

During Channel 14's Security Conference on Tuesday, Israeli Finance and Defense Minister Bezalel Smotrich set a firm condition for his participation in the next government. He demanded the dismantling of terror cells in the West Bank and the confiscation of large weapons caches within the Arab sector. Smotrich sharply criticized cautious approaches that avoid aggressive action in the West Bank due to fears of escalation, comparing such restraint to the failures of October 6, 2023. He called these views a "deep conceptual error" that hinders effective counterterrorism.

Smotrich expressed satisfaction with recent directives from the Israeli Defense Forces and security establishment, praising the Defense Minister's order to prepare for the takeover of additional Palestinian camps. He emphasized the necessity of systematically dismantling terror infrastructures and collecting weapons, recalling that the Oslo Accords envisioned only 12,000 armed Palestinian police, whereas today tens of thousands possess arms.

When asked if this demand was a strict precondition for joining the next government, Smotrich confirmed it was a practical requirement accompanied by a detailed work plan. He intends to conduct thorough operations "village by village, house by house" to remove weapons, which he described as Israel's greatest national security threat.

Addressing threats beyond the Green Line, Smotrich warned that the situation in the Arab sector poses an equally severe existential danger. He highlighted the presence of hundreds of thousands of weapons, including silencers, explosives, LAWs, and grenades, stressing that geographic distinctions like the Green Line are irrelevant in this context.