Key Facts
• On September 3, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for annexing 82% of the West Bank.
• Smotrich presented a Defense Ministry map to support his claim of Israeli sovereignty.
• His statement coincides with UN General Assembly discussions on Palestinian state recognition.
• Smotrich emphasized a strategy of “minimal Palestinian population, maximum land acquisition.”
• Palestinian Authority condemned the proposal, calling it extremist and a threat to statehood.
• UAE officials criticized the plan, labeling it a “red line” and demanded its withdrawal.
• UAE-Israel normalization in 2020 was conditional on freezing West Bank annexation plans.
Summary
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reignited controversy by advocating for the annexation of 82% of the West Bank during a press conference on September 3. Presenting a Defense Ministry map, Smotrich argued for extending Israeli sovereignty over the region, aligning his remarks with ongoing UN discussions on Palestinian state recognition. His proposal, which he described as prioritizing “minimal Palestinian population, maximum land acquisition,” drew sharp criticism. The Palestinian Authority condemned the plan as extremist, warning it would render a Palestinian state impossible. The UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the condition of halting annexation, also denounced the proposal as a “red line” and demanded its withdrawal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance on the plan remains unclear.
