After agreements in Aqaba, Smotrich vows no settlement freeze ‘for even one day’

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reacts harshly to news that Israel agreed to a brief settlement freeze at a security summit in Jordan earlier today.

“I don’t know what was or was not talked about in Jordan,” he tweets. “I heard about this unnecessary summit from the media just like you.”

The far-right Religious Zionism leader says that “there is one thing I do know: there will not be any freezing of building and developments in settlements for even one day (and it’s under my authority).”

According to Jordan, Israel has agreed not to announce any new settlement building for four to six months. Israel’s statement on the meeting says that there are no settlement announcements “expected in the coming months.”

Smotrich and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed an agreement last week handing Smotrich control over enforcement powers over illegal construction, authority over planning and construction for settlements and land allocation matters.