Smotrich Advances De Facto Annexation in West Bank Despite International Criticism
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has transformed his long-standing vision of expanding Israeli control in the West Bank into tangible realities, despite failing to formally apply sovereignty as promised. Since 2023, Smotrich, also serving as a minister in the Defense Ministry, has led efforts to transfer significant civil administrative powers from the military-run Civil Administration to civilian Israeli authorities, effectively "Israeli-izing" parts of the West Bank. This includes relocating the Civil Administration headquarters from a military base to a civilian industrial zone and shifting control over land management and planning to a politically driven "Settlement Authority."
While Smotrich did not achieve the formal annexation he pledged following Donald Trump's election, his policies have created facts on the ground that supporters view as irreversible. The government has recognized 103 new settlements, including previously unrecognized outposts labeled "young settlements," and has supported the rapid expansion of agricultural "farms" that now cover over one million dunams, dwarfing the land area of established settlements. Critics argue these moves amount to accelerated de facto annexation, violating international law and provoking global condemnation, which risks isolating Israel diplomatically and economically.
The changes have also intensified tensions and violence in the West Bank. Although counterterrorism efforts have reduced terror attacks, nationalist violence and settler attacks on Palestinian villages have increased, with larger groups openly causing damage and assaults. The Israeli police's Judea and Samaria district has established a joint command with the army and Shin Bet to address these incidents, recently filing indictments in multiple cases.
Opponents, including the Peace Now organization, warn that Smotrich's policies have deepened political extremism, increased settler numbers, and fostered lawlessness, potentially leading to anarchy in the region. Meanwhile, Smotrich insists that establishing irreversible facts on the ground will force Palestinians and the international community to accept Israeli sovereignty. The government plans to establish additional settlements in northern Samaria this summer, continuing the settlement expansion momentum.
Smotrich's office stated that his four-year tenure has brought a historic settlement revolution aimed at securing Israel's safety and preventing the creation of a Palestinian state perceived as a terror entity. The developments mark a significant shift in the West Bank's political and security landscape, with lasting implications for Israeli-Palestinian relations and Israel's international standing.
