Internal pressure within the government continues to mount against a limited sovereignty plan focused solely on settlement blocs, as growing support emerges among senior Likud ministers for applying broad Israeli sovereignty over most of Judea and Samaria.
For the first time, Defense Minister Israel Katz has expressed support for the plan, which was presented last week by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and leaders of the Yesha Council.
This rising support comes ahead of a French-led initiative at the UN to recognize a Palestinian state, as well as expected discussions in New York. Likud ministers view the Yesha Council’s plan as a strategic move to counter such diplomatic efforts. According to the Council, the ministers expressed clear support for extending Israeli sovereignty to 82% of Judea and Samaria, based on the map presented during the briefing.
In addition to Israel Katz, the statement named Ministers Eli Cohen, Miki Zohar, Gila Gamliel, Miri Regev, Shlomo Karhi, Yoav Kisch, Idit Silman, May Golan, and Ze’ev Elkin as supporters of the initiative. Ministers Haim Katz and Yariv Levin reportedly voiced support for applying even broader sovereignty than what was proposed.
The ministers underscored that their backing includes not only the territorial map but also five key principles to guide future sovereignty policy: Preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state - a position seen as reflecting broad Israeli consensus; Maximizing Israeli-controlled territory while minimizing the Arab population under Israeli jurisdiction; Rejecting the Oslo Accords’ territorial division, viewing them as a failed framework; Opposing any partial sovereignty limited to settlement blocs; Ending submission to threats - with a firm stance against any terrorist retaliation.