Smotrich plan to pour millions toward settlements, outposts reportedly delayed

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s plan to pour hundreds of millions of dollars toward West Bank settlements and outposts will not be brought before the cabinet for its approval next week as he had hoped following pushback from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Hebrew media reports.

National Security Council chair Tzachi Hanegbi warned that the plan could harm Israel’s national security, ostensibly referring to international pushback it would surely receive — something Israel is looking to avoid as the US works to broker a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Hanegbi recommended that the plan be re-examined and that an alternative version be submitted in its place, Hebrew media says.