In first since Oct. 7, Smotrich says thousands of new settlement homes to be approved

For the first time since the Hamas-led October 7 atrocities, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announces that the committee in charge of approving settlement construction in the West Bank will soon convene.

The announcement comes after Smotrich earlier today demanded that thousands of new settlement homes be constructed in response to the deadly terror attack this morning near Ma’ale Adumim.

A statement issued by Smotrich, who is also a minister in the Defense Ministry, says the committee will approve plans to build 2,350 units in Ma’ale Adumim, 300 in Keidar and 694 in Efrat.

“May every terrorist planning to harm us know that any lifting of a hand against Israeli citizens will be met with a death blow and the destruction, and the deepening of our eternal grip on the entire Land of Israel,” Smotrich is quoted as saying, calling the decision “an appropriate Zionist response.”

The statement was issued after Smotrich held talks on the matter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.