Smotrich vows to keep fighting 'terrible idea' of Palestinian state ahead of election
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed on Monday to continue working against the "terrible idea" of partitioning the Land of Israel ahead of this fall's election. During his nearly four years in office, the government…
Assessment
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is using settlement expansion as a campaign platform ahead of this fall's election, framing opposition to Palestinian statehood as a core achievement. The numbers he cites 103 communities and 200 farms in Judea and Samaria are presented as evidence of irreversible facts on the ground. The question is whether this strategy will consolidate his base or shift the broader political conversation about territorial compromise.