From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Smotrich signs deal to advance 6,000 apartments in settlement, calls for West Bank annexation before election
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleFinance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signs a NIS 2 billion ($685 million) umbrella agreement to advance the construction of 6,000 apartments and investment in the West Bank settlement of Karnei Shomron.
In remarks at the signing ceremony, Smotrich calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apply Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank.
“Prime minister, the time has come for victory and to apply sovereignty here in Judea and Samaria before the elections,” he says. “Judea and Samaria are a security and national issue for the country.”
In a post on X, Smotrich insists that “on my watch, there will not be a Palestinian state. Full stop.”
Smotrich, who chairs the far-right Religious Zionism party and is in charge of civilian affairs in the West Bank, supports annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, and is an adamant opponent of Palestinian statehood. He has taken several steps to entrench Israel’s control of the West Bank during his time in office.
בזמן שיש מי שמדברים על מדינה פלסטינית – אנחנו בונים את מדינת ישראל. קרני שומרון בדרך להפוך לעיר ואם בישראל.
היום, חתמתי על הסכם גג בקרני שומרון, שיקדם אלפי יחידות דיור חדשות ויהפוך אותה בעתיד לעיר. ההסכם יחזק את האחיזה הישראלית בשטח ואת ביטחון אזרחי ישראל.
במשמרת שלי לא תקום… pic.twitter.com/89x9yuUmcA
— בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) June 14, 2026
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