Far right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Israel requires “broader and defensible borders” across the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria, while describing Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank as part of what he called an “Iranian axis of evil.”
Smotrich argued that the 1967 boundaries are “indefensible,” claiming they fail to account for geographic and security considerations, according to reporting by The Jerusalem Post.
He further alleged that Palestinians in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank form part of this so called Iranian axis, while dismissing criticism of settler violence as “misleading campaigns.”
The minister also claimed that Israeli settlers are “among the least violent populations,” asserting that all measures carried out in the West Bank have been coordinated with the United States.
Smotrich added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, stating that Israel continues its settlement activity with “full support and coordination” from the US administration.
He noted that while former US President Donald Trump has not yet endorsed the application of full Israeli sovereignty over the entire West Bank, the Israeli government remains hopeful that such a move could be achieved in the future.
