Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on September 27, 2026, for a war in the occupied West Bank modeled on the offensive in Gaza, urging authorities to dismantle the Palestinian Authority and eliminate all militant infrastructure.
Smotrich Calls for Gaza-Style Military Campaign in the West Bank
Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged the military to go to war in Judea and Samaria
and do there what we did in Gaza,
speaking on a political podcast for the Israeli news site Ynet on September 27, 2026. Smotrich argued that Israel must eradicate what he termed terror infrastructure across the West Bank, demanding that forces leave no weapons, tunnels, or militants behind.
The remarks coincide with a week-long comprehensive military closure across the occupied West Bank announced by Israeli authorities, citing the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. The restrictions, which isolate communities and restrict civilian movement, are scheduled to remain in place until October 3.
I certainly have solutions. I think we need to go to war in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). To do there what we did in Gaza.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli Finance Minister, via Ynet News and Al Jazeera
Security Warnings and Cabinet Friction
Senior military and security officials have warned that the West Bank stands on the verge of an explosion, driven in part by surging settler violence. When asked about these warnings during his podcast appearance, Smotrich dismissed them as defensive maneuvering by commanders.
“When they came to the cabinet and said this, I said, ‘So what do you want? Tell us what to do. You are the army,’ … I don’t understand these meaningless warnings. It’s a bit like covering yourselves.”
Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli Finance Minister, via Turkiyetoday
Smotrich pointed to past operations in West Bank refugee camps as a blueprint for wider military action, asserting that three camps had already been emptied of their populations for protection and cleared of militants. He also defended aggressive tactics on roadways, stating that vehicles used in ramming attacks should be barred entirely from local roads.
Territorial Annexation Ambitions and Regional Scope
Beyond the West Bank, Smotrich expanded his strategic objectives to include permanent territorial expansion in both the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. He stated that any conflict ending where it began fails to deter future aggression.
I would like us to annex at least as far as the Yellow Line in Gaza (which demarcates the areas under Hamas and Israeli control) and as far as the Litani River in Lebanon…
Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli Finance Minister, via Naharnet
The minister’s stated desire to annex territory up to the Yellow Line—which encompasses roughly 53 percent of the Gaza Strip held by the Israeli army since an October 2025 ceasefire—runs directly counter to international diplomatic frameworks, including a U.S.-brokered agreement aimed at securing an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Casualties, Movement Restrictions, and Diplomatic Fallout
The escalating rhetoric arrives against a backdrop of severe daily violence across the region. According to Palestinian official figures, more than 1,206 Palestinians, including 254 children, have been killed in the West Bank since October 2023, alongside over 13,300 injuries and nearly 26,000 arrests. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded more than 1,330 settler-related attacks against Palestinians between January and late July, marking the highest rate in roughly 20 years.
In response to Smotrich’s remarks, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates issued a statement declaring that the finance minister’s comments reflect official government policies aimed at land confiscation, forced displacement, and the illegal expansion of settlements. The ministry warned that continued international silence regarding such inflammatory statements risks plunging the region into deeper instability.