FMT:
Israel’s Smotrich says he is drawing up West Bank annexation maps
Israel's far-right finance minister suggested annexing most of the territory, excluding six large Palestinian cities
Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler leader, has long called for annexation of the West Bank. (AFP pic)
JERUSALEM: Israel’s far-right finance minister said on Wednesday that maps were being drawn up for annexing territory in the occupied West Bank, land the Palestinians seek for a state, although it was unclear if he had prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support.
At a press conference in Jerusalem, Bezalel Smotrich stood before a map that suggested the possible annexation of most of the West Bank with the exception of six large Palestinian cities, including Ramallah and Nablus.
Smotrich said he wanted “maximum territory and minimum (Palestinian) population” to be brought under Israeli sovereignty, urging Netanyahu to accept his plan that is being drawn up by a department under Smotrich’s supervision in the defence ministry.
“The time has come to apply Israeli sovereignty to Judea and Samaria, to remove once and for all from the agenda the idea of dividing our tiny land and establishing a terror state in its centre,” he said, using biblical names widely used in Israel and the administrative name used by the state to describe the area.
“Who can defend a state with such small strategic depth? And this is why the goal of the sovereignty is to remove, once and for all, a Palestinian state from the agenda. And this is done when applying (sovereignty) to all of the territory, other than Arab population centres. I have no interest in letting them enjoy what the state of Israel has to offer,” he said.
Smotrich, a settler leader, has long called for annexation of the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which is among territories the Palestinians seek for a future independent state.
Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond on Wednesday to a request for comment on the prime minister’s position on the matter.
However, the prospect of any concrete steps by the Netanyahu government, which would likely entail a lengthy legislative process, is unclear.
‘Red line’
Any step toward annexation would likely draw widespread condemnation from Arab and Western countries. It is unclear where US President Donald Trump stands on the matter.
Speaking after Smotrich made his remarks, an official from the UAE said Israeli annexation of the West Bank would be a “red line” for the UAE, which established formal ties with Israel in 2020 under US-brokered accords.
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that “any annexation or settlement activity by Israel is illegitimate, condemned, and unacceptable”.
Abdel Hakim Hanini, an official of the Palestinian rebel group Hamas which is a rival of Abbas’ Fatah, said annexing the West Bank would not bring Israel the security it seeks and instead “lead to further resistance and confrontation”.
Israel, which is facing mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza, has been angered by pledges by France, Britain, Australia and Canada to formally recognise a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September.
Reuters reported on Sunday that Israel was considering annexing the West Bank as a possible response to those pledges.
The UN’s highest court said in 2024 that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and its settlements there were illegal and should end as soon as possible.
Israel says the territories are not occupied in legal terms because they are disputed.
At a press conference in Jerusalem, Bezalel Smotrich stood before a map that suggested the possible annexation of most of the West Bank with the exception of six large Palestinian cities, including Ramallah and Nablus.
Smotrich said he wanted “maximum territory and minimum (Palestinian) population” to be brought under Israeli sovereignty, urging Netanyahu to accept his plan that is being drawn up by a department under Smotrich’s supervision in the defence ministry.
“The time has come to apply Israeli sovereignty to Judea and Samaria, to remove once and for all from the agenda the idea of dividing our tiny land and establishing a terror state in its centre,” he said, using biblical names widely used in Israel and the administrative name used by the state to describe the area.
“Who can defend a state with such small strategic depth? And this is why the goal of the sovereignty is to remove, once and for all, a Palestinian state from the agenda. And this is done when applying (sovereignty) to all of the territory, other than Arab population centres. I have no interest in letting them enjoy what the state of Israel has to offer,” he said.
Smotrich, a settler leader, has long called for annexation of the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which is among territories the Palestinians seek for a future independent state.
Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond on Wednesday to a request for comment on the prime minister’s position on the matter.
However, the prospect of any concrete steps by the Netanyahu government, which would likely entail a lengthy legislative process, is unclear.
‘Red line’
Any step toward annexation would likely draw widespread condemnation from Arab and Western countries. It is unclear where US President Donald Trump stands on the matter.
Speaking after Smotrich made his remarks, an official from the UAE said Israeli annexation of the West Bank would be a “red line” for the UAE, which established formal ties with Israel in 2020 under US-brokered accords.
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that “any annexation or settlement activity by Israel is illegitimate, condemned, and unacceptable”.
Abdel Hakim Hanini, an official of the Palestinian rebel group Hamas which is a rival of Abbas’ Fatah, said annexing the West Bank would not bring Israel the security it seeks and instead “lead to further resistance and confrontation”.
Israel, which is facing mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza, has been angered by pledges by France, Britain, Australia and Canada to formally recognise a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September.
Reuters reported on Sunday that Israel was considering annexing the West Bank as a possible response to those pledges.
The UN’s highest court said in 2024 that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and its settlements there were illegal and should end as soon as possible.
Israel says the territories are not occupied in legal terms because they are disputed.
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Frigging shailoks - disgusting land robbers 😡😡😡
That map is grossly misleading and has been debunked countless times.
ReplyDeleteLet's say when Malaya gained independence in 1957, the immigrants had purchased and legally owned 3% of the land. Does that mean the Malays owned 97%?
By 1948 Isaacs had legally purchased about 7% of the land from Arabs, mostly barren and non-inhabited, the land owners mostly did not even live there, they lived in Damascus, Beirut or Turkey.
That does not mean 93% of the land belonged to "Palestinians". Most of the other land belonged to the British Mandate, as per The League of Nations, following WW1, the Ottoman Caliphate was dissolved and no longer existed.
When you lose war you lose territory, stiff s4it, live with it.
Post WW1, the British already carved out Trans Jordan and gave that to the "Palestinian" Arabs (plus Iraq, Saudi, Yemen, UAE, Kuwait etc) and Frenchie carved out Lebanon, Syria etc). All these countries never existed before, they were part of the Ottoman Caliphate.
All these new countries were happy, spoils of war, more or less lah ha3, except....the "Palestinians", still not happy, want more. So the League of Nations carved out more land West of the Jordan River to give them, at the expense of the Isaacs. Isaacs agreed, Ishmaels still did not, and started a war of extermination.
They Want It All. River to The Sea. Genocide the Isaacs.
But they lost.
Note: the Kurds also got nothing, but no Ishmaels are interested to give them Kurdistan, why? Because no Isaacs involved, Kurdistan would have to be carved from Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, all Ishmael countries.
The League of Nations also carved up European borders after WW1, new countries were created, millions of refugees had to move, relocate, resettle. This is what happens after war. Everyone understands that, except the most privileged refugees managed by UNRWA for the last 75 years.
'That does not mean 93% of the land belonged to "Palestinians". Most of the other land belonged to the British Mandate, as per The League of Nations, following WW1, the Ottoman Caliphate was dissolved and no longer existed.'
DeleteWow… land belonged to the British Mandate!
Mfer, how did those land belonged to the British Mandate?
Using yr mfering logic of 'you lose war you lose territory, stiff s4it, live with it', then when u r been robbed, those robbed items could never belong to u AGAIN!
Ooop… typically western pirate culture & mentality. U r mfering well trains.
Those countries carved up by the pommie, the French rooster too, from the decayed Ottoman Caliphate wet just pure geopolitical plays to strengthen the divide & rule game plate so well by the pommie.
The Kurds gained nothing bcoz they couldn't played ANY significant role within the post Ottoman Caliphate. The zionists played no role , simply bcoz they r just emerged from the tragics of WWII. As an inherent vulture, once their targets were set, they began their frenzy grabbing of everything.
The League of Nations also carved up European borders after WW1. But most of the historical legacies & power bases remains. The powerful elites remained in control.
Refugees???!!!
Mfer, they were just mostly displacement WASP tribes chosen to fit their cultural tastes & inheritance into a new environment!
When Bloodymir Rasputin annexed Crimea more than 10 years ago the world remained silent. Just empty talk at UN. Yawn.
ReplyDeleteWhen he invaded Ukraine, annexed the eastern oblasts, kidnapped and held hostage 30,000 Ukrainian children to be Russified, forced Ukrainians to accept Russian passports, the world also remained silent.
The size of land Ukraine lost is 200X the size of West Bank. The world turned the other way. No problem lah.
When the Eastern Bully want to annex Taiwan the world abandoned Taipei and recognized Beijing instead. Now only a few Pacific island countries recognize Taiwan. When the Bully redrew their official map to incorporate the SCS the world also remained silent. The size of territory is 1,500X the size of West Bank, with lots of minyak, gas dan ikan. No problem, carry on. No UN Resolution to condemn.
Even Palestin is a UN Observer Member. Taiwan can't even enter the front door, have to watch on TV.
But we forget......Republic of China (ROC), the government that retreated to Taiwan, was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945 and served as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Can veto this Veto that. The ROC's representation for China was replaced by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971 through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758.
Amazing Abandonment.
Why can't there be TWO Chinas? Wouldn't that be better?
wakakakaka…keep lying lah, mfer.
DeleteWow… '… invaded Ukraine, annexed the eastern oblasts, kidnapped and held hostage 30,000 Ukrainian children to be Russified, forced Ukrainians to accept Russian passports'
Very creatively twisting of farts! BORING😩
Wowx2… 'redrew their official map to incorporate the SCS the world also remained silent. The size of territory is 1,500X the size of West Bank, with lots of minyak, gas dan ikan. No problem, carry on. No UN Resolution to condemn.'
Mfer, the Nine-dash line was drawn up by the then RoC with the helps of the Yank & pommie. UN has to keep quiet bcoz it is a recognized legal due process which the Yankee now refuses to acknowledged.
Who the f*ck r u in creating yr mfering his-story?
BTW, who the f*cks r those 台毒 claiming to represent China? When botak chiang was alive, he was unwaveringly a supporter of a united China.& he was the numero uno of the RoC!
Mfer, do keep yr neurons awakening & remember, there is only ONE CHINA - dulu, kini dan selamalamanya!
The world demand Two State Solution for Palestin.
ReplyDeleteWhy nobody demand Two China Solution?
It couldn't work for the Palestine due to its fraud geoplotical assumption.
DeleteIt would NEVER work for the Chinese demand only ONE China!
France, UK, Canada, Oz, Belgium etc wanting to recognize Palestine in Sept has worsened the situation. Outsiders don’t understand the complexity of the issue, they make matters worse for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIsaac has no choice but to annex. Now if anyone wants to buka embassy in Ramallah they must get Isaac visa. Otherwise open lah in Qatar or Jordan.
wakakaka you are deep in kerbau territory - clean your boots and feet before rejoining sane society
Deletethis zionist arselicker is high in lalalaland, enjoying its wet dream.
DeleteWhen Eastern Bully puts up its official map showing nine-dash lines there was no global uproar. No UN resolution to condemn, even though the UN had ruled this was against its own UNCLOS rules.
ReplyDeleteWhen Isaac draws its own "dash line" (ha3) in Judea and Samaria all hell breaks loose at UN. The sky will come crashing down they say.
The nine-dash line territorial claim is 1,500 times the size of Isaac's claim. Where is the proportionality.
wow… 'UN had ruled this was against its own UNCLOS rules.'
DeleteMfer, don't give online statement. Where r the proof to that effect?
UN can never denial proven historical Lebensraum entitlement. UNCLOS rules also incorporatingthese historical inheritances.
U r just farting the Yankees & western lies. Yankee isn't a signatory to the UNCLOS. So, who the f*ck is him to champion maritime clauses he doesn't recognized?
Wakakakaka… proportionality?
How big is yr f*cked neuron jelly?