Finance Minister Smotrich Denies Jewish Terrorism Claims in West Bank, Cites Violence in Israeli Cities

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed allegations of Jewish terrorism in the West Bank during the National Security Conference hosted by ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth in cooperation with the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). He asserted that the settler community exhibits the lowest levels of violence compared to other sectors within Israeli society and globally. Smotrich dismissed claims that extremist settlers provoke conflicts with Palestinians, labeling such accusations as "a false campaign." He acknowledged that violence exists across all communities, including in cities like Tel Aviv, Ra'anana, and Beersheba, but described it as a marginal phenomenon. Smotrich emphasized his expectation that the Israel Police and law enforcement agencies address these incidents with the same rigor applied to violence in other sectors.