During a recent appearance on a Ynet podcast, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Israel should initiate a war in the West Bank, referring to the territory by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria. Smotrich explicitly suggested that the military strategy employed in Gaza should be replicated in the West Bank to address current security concerns.

Central to his proposal is the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority, which Smotrich labeled a "terror authority." His comments come amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing military operations in Gaza. In addition to his remarks regarding the West Bank, Smotrich advocated for the annexation of parts of southern Lebanon and areas within Gaza that remain under Israeli control.

While the provided report focuses on Smotrich's stated policy goals, it does not include responses from the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli Prime Minister's office, or international observers. Consequently, the report presents the minister's personal policy platform without providing the broader political context or the reaction from other government officials regarding whether these statements represent official Israeli state policy.