Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich calls for war in occupied West Bank

What the report says

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Israel’s military to “go to war” in the occupied West Bank, according to an interview published by Ynet News and reported by Al Jazeera on 27 September 2026. He said Israel should do in the West Bank, which he referred to as Judea and Samaria, what it had done in Gaza and argued that the Palestinian Authority should be dismantled. The remarks were made amid rising tensions in the territory and intensified violence since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.

Al Jazeera cited United Nations figures showing more than 1,330 settler-related attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank from January to late July, an average of about six a day. The report said settler violence has included shootings, attacks on homes and other assaults, with rights groups warning that some settlers are increasingly armed and sometimes appear in military-style clothing, blurring the distinction between settlers and soldiers.

The comments came as Israeli authorities announced a comprehensive military closure across the occupied West Bank for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, with restrictions on Palestinian movement set to last until 3 October. The report also said hundreds of Israelis entered the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem under police protection, while Palestinian outlets reported tighter restrictions around the mosque and the Old City. The developments highlight how the West Bank and East Jerusalem remain major flashpoints in the wider conflict.