'A separate civilian system': Smotrich speaks of increased gov. control over West Bank - NYT report

Finance Minister and chairman of the Religious Zionism Party Bezalel Smotrich recently revealed plans by the Israeli government to solidify control over the West Bank without formally annexing the territory, The New York Times reported on Friday.

In a June 9 speech held at a private event, Smotrich detailed that military officers no longer oversee settlement expansions, land expropriations, and road constructions in the West Bank. These roles are now handled by civilians working under his supervision. The New York Times based their report on a 30 minute recording that was obtained by a researcher from Peace Now, an anti-occupation group that attended the event. Smotrich’s spokesperson, Eytan Fold, stated that the event was not held in secret.

Smotrich's plans counter Palestinian statehood 

In the speech, Smotrich stated that the goal is to prevent the West Bank from becoming part of a Palestinian state, describing the changes as “mega-dramatic” and likening them to altering a system’s DNA.

He outlined the plan to shift authority over the West Bank from military to civilian control under his direction within the defense ministry. “We created a separate civilian system,” Smotrich said, adding that maintaining the defense ministry's involvement helps deflect international scrutiny. “It will be easier to swallow in the international and legal context,” he noted, according to The New York Times.

Smotrich also mentioned that Prime Minister Netanyahu was fully aware of the plan, which aligns with their coalition agreement. He asserted that Netanyahu is “with us full on.” The New York Times also noted in their report that Smotrich’s remarks could complicate the Israeli government's official position that the West Bank’s status is open to negotiation.

Smotrich emphasized that his main achievement has been transferring many of the military’s duties in the West Bank to civilian control, which he believes will have a more significant impact than any single settlement encampment, The New York Times concluded in their report. 

He has historically taken a strong stance against Palestinian statehood, including recent statements made after Ireland, Spain, and Norway all announced their recognition of a Palestinian state.

Following the recognition, Smotrich called on Netanyahu to enact a six-point plan that included withholding tax fees collected on behalf of the PA and accelerating West Bank settlement construction. He also urged Netanyahu to convene the Higher Planning Council for Judea and Samaria to approve the construction of 10,000 new Jewish homes in Area C of the West Bank, including in the contentious E1 area of Ma’aleh Adumim.

Eliav Breuer and Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.