Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has vowed an “escalation” of land expropriation in the occupied West Bank if the European Union recognizes the state of Palestine.
“We have an escalation plan in the West Bank if France and other European countries continue to push for recognition of a Palestinian state,” Smotrich said on Friday.
He added that the plan “includes imposing sovereignty over Area C in the West Bank, displacing the residents of Khan al-Ahmar, and disrupting the banking system.”
Area C comprises around 60 percent of the occupied territory and is home to the vast majority of Israeli settlements.
On Thursday, the minister visited the newly built illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank where the Israeli regime approved 22 new illegal settlements late last month.
He said during the tour that he has issued direct instructions to expedite the legalization of new settlements and develop a plan to impose “Israeli sovereignty” on all remaining land in the occupied West Bank.
Smotrich has been one of the spearheads of Israel’s plans for settlement expansion and the annexation of the occupied West Bank.
France has been recently urging co-member states in the European Union to recognize Palestinian statehood.
France and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to co-chair a UN conference this month, aimed at recognizing Palestine.
In total, 143 countries across the globe have voted in favor of upgrading Palestine’s status in a UN resolution at the world body.
The UN resolution also granted new “rights and privileges” to Palestine, thus recognizing it as a qualified state to join the UN as a full member.
However, the United States remains opposed to Palestinians’ every move at being recognized as a full UN member by casting its veto against pro-Palestinian resolutions in favor of the Israeli regime.
The United States is the Israeli regime’s main international backer, granting the Zionist leaders laissez-faire to commit atrocities with impunity including the genocide of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, their forced displacement, child-killing, and occupation and annexation of Palestinian land.
