Smotrich calls for expanding settlements on the 'contact line' and intensifying military presence near Jenin - Sarmad

Israeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich called for the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, urging an enhancement of the military presence in the buffer zone near Jenin.

Smotrich posted a video on social media from his visit to the “Rimon” settlement, one of 21 settlements located directly on the Green Line, where he met with residents to closely assess the security situation. He noted that the area faces significant challenges due to its proximity to the city of Jenin and neighboring Palestinian villages, amid rising concerns over potential threats.

Smotrich emphasized the need to work along three main axes to strengthen security in the region: significantly increasing the military presence, bolstering defenses by drawing lessons from the October 7 attacks, and expanding settlements by developing existing ones, attracting new groups of young settlers, and providing incentives for housing, land, and employment. These measures aim to intensify the settler presence and create an extended security zone.

The Israeli minister affirmed that civilian settlement and military security go hand in hand, citing experiences in the north and south as proof of the importance of populated civilian security zones supported by the army. He considered the expansion of settlements in Judea and Samaria a fundamental pillar of Israel’s security, stressing that “wherever there is settlement, there is security for Jews.”