Bezalel Smotrich

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for war in the occupied West Bank, comments that landed as Israeli authorities announced a week-long comprehensive military closure across the territory, citing the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Critics online are denouncing the remarks as advocating war crimes, and the combination of the minister's language with a sweeping movement closure has drawn sharp international attention to escalating tensions in the occupied territory.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for 'war' in the occupied West Bank, sharply escalating rhetoric from a senior member of the government. The remarks, reported by Al Jazeera, raise questions over whether they signal an imminent large-scale military operation against Palestinian groups or are political posturing aimed at his far-right base amid ongoing raids and rising violence in the territory.