Smotrich also renewed demands to dismantle the Palestinian Authority as tensions rose across the region. The calls for escalation follow a comprehensive closure of the West Bank ordered by War Minister Katz, which bars Palestinian workers from entering settlements, and recent military raids in Nablus, Marka, and Tulkarm. Meanwhile, the Likud party faces internal turmoil with reports that it could lose 10 to 12 Knesset seats due to an ongoing security scandal.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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Smotrich Calls for War in West Bank to Mirror Gaza Offensive
War24 days ago
The Israeli military should replicate its tactics from the Gaza Strip in the occupied West Bank, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, calling for the seizure of all weapons and the killing of terrorists. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the remarks as a direct call for annexation, displacement, and a war of extermination. As the statements emerged, 1,500 settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under police protection on the second day of the Sukkot holiday, an increase from the 1,143 reported during previous incursions.
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