Israeli Officials Urge Netanyahu to Advance Sovereignty in West Bank Amid Settlement Expansion

At the annual salute event for settlement in the Binyamin region, Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue accelerating construction in Judea and Samaria and to lead the application of Israeli sovereignty there. Speaking on Tuesday, Gantz highlighted a significant shift in government policy toward settlements in recent years, noting that what was once a vision is now being implemented on the ground, with elected officials reclaiming policy control from bureaucrats who previously treated the Green Line as a boundary.

Gantz emphasized that the achievements in settlement expansion are not merely sectoral but benefit all of Israel by enhancing national and personal security. He stated that the government's push for development in Judea, Samaria, and Binyamin reshapes Israel's security landscape against various threats. Looking ahead, Gantz declared that the next goal is sovereignty, which he described as essential from civil, security, and ideological perspectives, promising to persist until it is realized.

Addressing Netanyahu directly, Gantz recalled the prime minister's directive to establish 13 new settlements in Binyamin over the past year, affirming that the council is fulfilling this task and requesting permission to build more. He asserted that the Israeli public supports these initiatives, which strengthen Israel's hold on its land for current and future generations.

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded by citing the establishment of 104 settlements and 160 farms, praising the government's efforts to realize a long-standing national vision. He thanked Defense Minister and Minister Bezalel Smotrich for their significant roles in this endeavor, describing it as a tremendous government effort to implement the vision of generations.