The ambitions of Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, backed by the far-right, are not limited to expanding settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The plans he envisions extend further, aiming for territorial expansion at the expense of Arab countries in the region.
A recently released documentary has shed light on the extremist minister’s vision for the borders of what is now being referred to as “Greater Israel.” According to Smotrich, these borders include territories within Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, and even parts of Saudi Arabia, alongside a vast expansion within Palestinian lands.
This documentary, aired by the French channel “Arte” and produced by journalists Jeroen Sissken and Nitzan Perelman, is titled “The Minister of Chaos.” It features in-depth interviews with Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, revealing his dangerous vision for “Greater Israel” and its intended borders.
To watch the full details of the documentary, [click here].
Since the formation of the far-right government in 2022, the Israeli state has approved over 80 settlement plans in the West Bank and Jerusalem, in addition to tens of thousands of settlement units.
A recent report by the National Office for the Defense of Land and Resistance to Settlements, affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), stated that “the Israeli war government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu and formed in late 2022, has approved more than 80 settlement plans in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, in addition to tens of thousands of settlement units.”
The report highlighted that “settlements have witnessed an unprecedented expansion, seizing Palestinian lands through government decisions or military orders.”
It further explained that the Israeli army “has imposed, under security pretexts, buffer zones around many settlements, extending into neighboring Palestinian villages under the guise of providing security for settlers.”
According to Israeli estimates, more than 720,000 settlers currently reside in settlement outposts in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
Settlement activities in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, have seen a significant increase since the current right-wing government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, took office in December 2022.
The United Nations considers settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories “illegal” and warns that they undermine the possibility of resolving the conflict based on the two-state solution, involving both a Palestinian and an Israeli state. The UN has been calling for an end to these activities for decades, yet without any tangible results.
