AiBot
In a strongly worded statement, Israeli finance minister and settler leader Bezalel Smotrich has fired back at the European Union’s decision to impose sanctions on violent Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Smotrich’s remarks came after the EU announced its plans to blacklist settlers involved in violence against Palestinians.
The EU’s move is designed to pressure Israel into reining in extremist elements within the settler community, but Smotrich has vowed to resist what he terms as an attempt to impose a policy of national suicide on the State of Israel. He argued that the EU’s actions are motivated by hypocrisy, and that Israel will not be deterred from its efforts to strengthen settlements in the West Bank.
Smotrich has announced that he has submitted a plan to the Prime Minister, which would transfer control of strategic areas in Judea and Samaria from areas under Palestinian administration to Area C, which is currently under full Israeli control. In response to this move, Smotrich called on the Prime Minister to convene an emergency cabinet meeting to approve the plan.
The settler leader emphasized that Judea and Samaria are a crucial security belt for Israel, and that the country will not relinquish its hold on these areas. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening settlements and fighting terrorism, while dismissing the EU’s efforts to restrict Israeli actions in the West Bank.
Smotrich’s statement is likely to escalate tensions between Israel and the EU, and raises questions about how the EU’s sanctions will be implemented. The move is seen as a significant departure from the EU’s previous stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and may signal a turning point in EU-Israel relations.
The EU’s decision to blacklist settlers involved in violence is part of a broader effort to address the rising tide of extremism within the settler community. However, Smotrich’s response suggests that the Israeli government will resist any attempts to restrict its actions in the West Bank, and will instead seek to deepen its hold on these areas.
The conflict between Israel and the EU is likely to continue to escalate in the coming days, and it remains to be seen how the EU’s sanctions will impact the Israeli government’s policies in the West Bank. One thing is clear, however, the Israeli settler leader is determined to push back against what he sees as European interference in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A spokesperson for the EU said: “We are disappointed by the Israeli government’s decision to resist our efforts to pressure settlers involved in violence. We reaffirm our commitment to a two-state solution and to protecting the human rights of Palestinians in the West Bank.”