Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, commented this afternoon (Friday) on reports that the US government views him as an obstacle to the establishment of a Palestinian state. "I want to believe and hope that the pressure exerted on us by our American friends to establish a Palestinian state simply stems from a lack of understanding of how much this endangers our existence, as the overwhelming majority of our people understand today, certainly after the 7th of October," said Smotrich. "There isn’t a single sane Israeli who, after the 7th of October, is willing to multiply Gaza twenty-fold and place it on territory that geographically and topographically dominates most of Israel. "Apparently, from thousands of kilometers away, it is difficult for some Americans to understand this, to understand how small Israel is and how much Judea and Samaria are the cradle of our birth and add crucial strategic depth for Israel’s security," he said. "With all the respect and appreciation we have for the Biden administration, we will continue to make decisions based on an understanding of what is good and right for us, even at the cost of disagreements. This includes continuing the war until Hamas and Hezbollah are destroyed and the security threats over Israel are removed, and strengthening the 'settlements' to prevent the establishment of a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel." The Washington Post claimed that the Netanyahu government has dramatically expanded Israeli control in Judea and Samaria, citing how the government authorized land seizures, accelerated the demolition of Palestinian property, and increased state support for the construction of illegal outposts. The dramatic changes have paved the way to claim some 24,000,000 square meters of Judea and Samaria as state land (that is, 9 sq. miles, ed.) – which will allow for the future establishment of Israeli towns in the area. US media wrote that Smotrich is acting wisely and quickly to establish a new reality in Judea and Samaria. The newspapers published a quote from a recording of Smotrich from June, in which he said, "The goal is to change the DNA of the system for many years." The Wall Street Journal wrote that according to Smotrich, the ultimate goal is to strengthen Israeli control in Judea and Samaria and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state without the world noticing.
