The United States made it known to Israel that handing control over the West Bank to hard-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich would be regarded by Washington as tantamount to annexing the Palestinian territory, a Hebrew-language outlet reported Thursday.
As finance minister, Smotrich oversees defense ministry organizations that are responsible for enforcing some regulations in the West Bank, giving him significant powers over the territory. Whether his purview should be extended further at the expense of the Defense Ministry is the subject of fiery debates between officials in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Under the terms of the coalition deal, the Civil Administration falls under the jurisdiction of Smotrich, who, in addition to being finance minister, also holds the title of “minister in the Defense Ministry.” Yet, the details of the power-sharing agreement between the ministries are still being negotiated between Smotrich and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
According to Walla! News, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf last week told National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi that Washington was "deeply concerned" over the recent Israeli-Palestinian escalation, and that empowering a supporter of the settlement project such as Smotrich would be seen as something akin to the annexation of the West Bank.
The report cited unnamed senior U.S. and Israeli officials.
Leaf's talks with senior officials from the security establishment reportedly took place during her trip to the region late last month. The escalation she referred to included two terrorist attacks in Jerusalem targeting civilians, including a massacre outside a synagogue where a Palestinian shot to death seven Israelis.
Earlier this week, Smotrich said that "there will be no construction freeze in Judea and Samaria period," referring to the West Bank by its Hebrew Biblical name.