Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich sharply responded to the international criticism voiced by the British Foreign Secretary over the approval of construction plans in the E1 area.
“I heard the British Foreign Secretary’s condemnation of my decision to eliminate the idea of a Palestinian state and to connect Jerusalem, our eternal capital, with Ma’ale Adumim on the ground in E1-something my predecessors did not dare to do," Smotrich said. “I want to tell him in no uncertain terms: the British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over. I refuse to be impressed or intimidated by threats of sanctions. We do not accept dictates from foreign countries. We do what is good and right for the State of Israel, in order to realize our historic and biblical right to our ancestral homeland and to remove existential threats to our citizens."
At the same time, Smotrich used the opportunity to pose a series of pointed questions to Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar! party, regarding his policies on Judea and Samaria.
“I call from here, from the community of Kadim in northern Samaria, which was expelled 21 years ago and today is returning, with great excitement, to being settled by Jews, to Gadi Eisenkot: You aspire to be prime minister of Israel. Are you prepared to unequivocally condemn the blatant and brazen interference of foreign governments? Are you prepared to commit that you will not halt the construction plans in E1? Are you prepared to commit that the communities and farms we are establishing in Judea and Samaria will remain in place under your government as well? And are you prepared to commit that no Palestinian state will be established during your term?" Smotrich asked.