Israeli minister’s ‘Palestine-free zones’ proposal

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on the government to “create safety zones” for Jews in the occupied West Bank and prohibit Palestinians from entering these areas, including to harvest olives.

In the letter he wrote to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shared on the social media platform X, Minister Smotrich stated that the Tel Aviv administration “failed to provide an acceptable level of security” in the West Bank. Smotrich called for “the creation of sterile security areas around (Jewish) communities and roads and the prevention of Arabs from entering these areas, even during the olive harvest.”

The far-right minister argued that such measures were necessary to prevent attacks on Jewish settlers and would “provide a sense of security” to these settlements, as large numbers of Israelis were recruited as reservists.

Separately, speaking to the Times of Israel, Smotrich’s spokesperson said the Israeli minister “refers to Palestinians, not all Arabs” by using the word “Arab” frequently in his letter.

THE VIOLENCE OF JEWISH SETTLERS SET A RECORD

690,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in 1967.

Under international law, Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are considered illegal.

The West Bank frequently witnesses raids and attacks by armed Jewish settlers under the protection of Israeli forces.

These attacks increased further when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed far-right figures such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir to critical positions in the coalition government that came to power in late 2022.

Both ministers, known for their racist and discriminatory actions and speeches against Palestinians, live in these settlements that are contrary to international law and are known for inciting Jewish settlers to violence.

According to data from the Palestinian government’s Committee to Fight the Separation Wall and Settlements, attacks by Jewish settlers in October broke a “record.” While Jewish settlers carried out 390 attacks against Palestinians in one month, 9 Palestinians lost their lives as a result of the attacks.

Furthermore, due to these attacks, 9 Bedouin communities of 810 people, consisting of approximately 100 families, had to migrate from their current location to another location. (AA)