Israeli Far-Right Ministers Urge West Bank Annexation Amid Palestinian Recognition

Israeli far-right ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have strongly condemned the recognition of a Palestinian state by the UK, Canada, and Australia, calling it a "reward for killers" and demanding immediate annexation of the West Bank. Ben-Gvir plans to propose the application of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank at the next cabinet meeting, while Smotrich declared that the era of foreign countries determining Israel's future is over. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports these hardline positions, pledging to fight Palestinian recognition at the UN and opposing a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have imposed strict restrictions on Palestinian communities near Jerusalem, effectively placing them under full Israeli control and limiting residents' movement, which experts warn is a prelude to forced displacement. Additionally, Israel has issued land confiscation orders in Palestinian areas to expand settlements, part of a broader plan to connect settlements around Jerusalem. Ben-Gvir has also called for annexing parts of the Gaza Strip to establish "police neighborhoods," emphasizing a policy of asserting Israeli sovereignty over contested territories.