Tue Nov 12 05:55:03 UTC 2024: ## Israel’s Far-Right Finance Minister Announces Plan to Annex West Bank by 2025
**DUBAI, November 12, 2024:** Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that the country will annex the occupied West Bank by 2025, igniting further regional tensions.
While the declaration is not yet officially endorsed by the Israeli government, it reflects the thinking within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, where Smotrich holds a key position overseeing settlement expansion in the Palestinian territories.
The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia hosted an extraordinary summit of Arab and Islamic leaders in Riyadh, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman calling for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, called for Israel’s suspension from the United Nations, accusing the country of “mass genocide”.
Palestinian spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned Smotrich’s remarks as confirmation of Israel’s intention to take control of the West Bank, further escalating the already volatile situation.
The summit in Riyadh was attended by leaders from across the region, including Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Pakistan. Notably, Iran, which has a military rivalry with Israel, did not participate. The United Arab Emirates, which has diplomatic ties with Israel, was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who led a UAE delegation to the summit.
While the UAE remains one of the few countries in the region where Israeli media is freely allowed, the relationship between the two has cooled considerably since the recent conflict in Gaza.
The potential annexation of the West Bank is expected to have significant regional implications, as the area is home to Palestinian Authority institutions and embassies from various countries, including India, which recognize Palestine’s statehood.
The situation has also sparked a renewed focus on the transition of power in Washington, D.C., with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar acknowledging that the annexation of the West Bank was previously discussed during the first term of former President Donald Trump.
The announcement has further heightened regional tensions and is likely to become a central point of discussion as the international community attempts to navigate the escalating conflict.
First Piper 