Israel's Secret Plan to Consolidate Control Over West Bank

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich recently delivered a speech to settlers in the occupied West Bank, suggesting that the government is secretly working to change the way the territory is governed. According to the transcript and audio recording provided by the Israeli NGO Peace Now, Smotrich stated that the goal of this effort is to prevent the West Bank from becoming part of an independent Palestinian state. This contradicts Israel's long-standing stance, as upheld by its Supreme Court, that its control over the territory is a temporary military occupation compliant with international law.