Smotrich calls for West Bank war and annexation

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the military to wage war in the occupied West Bank, dismantle the Palestinian Authority and replicate its Gaza campaign there, according to remarks in a Ynet interview published Sunday. He also advocated annexing territory in Gaza up to the Yellow Line and parts of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River. The statements describe proposals, not actions shown to have been adopted by the government or military. Asked how Israel should respond to security tensions in the West Bank, Smotrich said Israel should do there what it had done in Gaza. He called for an order barring what he described as terrorist infrastructure, including fighters, weapons and tunnels. He also said the Palestinian Authority should be dismantled. The Authority exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank. Smotrich’s annexation proposal extended beyond the West Bank. He said he wanted Israel to annex at least as far as the Yellow Line in Gaza and the Litani River in Lebanon. The remarks did not set out a formal plan, specify the legal status of the areas, or establish that the government had approved annexation.