Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for Israel to “go to war” in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in the same way it did in Gaza, as the Israeli military imposed a complete closure of the West Bank for one week, further restricting the movement of Palestinians.
“I think we need to go to war in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). Do there what we did in Gaza. Dismantle the Palestinian Authority, which is a terrorist authority,” Smotrich said in an interview with Ynet that was published on Sunday.
When asked what he meant, Smotrich referenced an Israeli military campaign in the northern West Bank refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams that began in January 2025 and involved the forced displacement of more than 30,000 Palestinians from their homes. The refugee camps remain empty today as the residents haven’t been allowed to return, and many of the roads and buildings in the camps have been destroyed.
“We’ve already done it. There are three refugee camps there that are empty,” Smotrich said. He framed the forced evacuation as a way to “protect” the population, but Smotrich has been explicit about his desire for more Palestinian land and said in the interview that he wants to annex swathes of territory in Gaza and Lebanon.
“I would like us to annex at least as far as the yellow line in Gaza and as far as the Litani River in Lebanon, because a war that ends along the same lines where it began will not prevent the enemy from going to war again next time,” he said.
Smotrich’s interview came as settler and Israeli military violence against Palestinians in the West Bank continues to skyrocket. Amid the escalations, the Palestinian news agency WAFA first reported on Sunday that the Israeli military has “imposed a comprehensive closure on the occupied West Bank and closed border crossings, citing the Jewish holidays,” which includes “tightened military restrictions at checkpoints.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the closures, saying they will last through the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which ends Friday night. He said Palestinians who work in illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank would be prohibited from going to work unless they were deemed essential.
Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.
Join the Discussion!
We welcome thoughtful and respectful comments. Hateful language, illegal content, or attacks against Antiwar.com will be removed.
For more details, please see our Comment Policy.