Staff work led by the Finance Minister has established the legal, organizational, and judicial framework for a smooth and immediate transfer of Judea and Samaria to Israeli sovereignty. Addressing a gap of over fifty years.
The interview first appeared in Issue 19 of Ribonut (Sovereignty)
Following joint work with the Yesha Council, Finance Minister and Defense Ministry Minister Bezalel Smotrich introduced a clear plan for implementing sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. He believes this step is not only realistic but also crucial – one that will be decided not in European capitals or even Washington, but by a single decision made in Jerusalem: the Prime Minister's decision.
Applying sovereignty, as Minister Smotrich tells Sovereignty, is fundamentally a moral act affirming that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. However, "beyond that, it is also a fitting, necessary and just response to the moves by the Palestinian Authority and Europe, especially when a consensus that reflects an understanding and acceptance has arisen in Israel after October 7th that a Palestinian state cannot be established here."
Several months ago, Smotrich already issued a directive to his ministry staff to start preparing to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. This followed "two years of preparing the ground, including the practical aspects of land redemption and settlement regulation,” he explains, clarifying the purpose of his staff's work.
"When a government decides to apply Israeli law and jurisdiction, changes occur. For example, the existing local authorities in Judea and Samaria will cease to exist from that moment because they are currently operating under military order. That is why a special order from the Interior Minister is needed to re-establish these authorities in their current form from that day forward, since elections will not be held. There is a system of laws that currently applies to the territory, and when sovereignty is applied, these laws expire, requiring extensions of some laws so they can coexist with others that continue. Another example is transportation, which is currently under the authority of the military transportation officer due to the lack of a traffic authority in Judea and Samaria, and there will be an immediate need to establish such an authority. This is the case in almost every area."
To prepare the necessary staff work, professional teams learned from the experience of implementing sovereignty in Jerusalem, where several lacunae needed to be addressed through collaboration with various ministries, "so that when the Prime Minister's decision is made, things can happen immediately according to all regulations, laws, and transition orders.
"We will need, for example, to decide whether the Interior Ministry will establish the Judea and Samaria district or whether it will integrate Samaria into the Sharon regional committee, Benjamin into Jerusalem, and the southern Hebron Hills into the southern district. There is much work to do, and each ministry will need to make decisions. It will not be possible to wait six months for the changes to be implemented. Most of the preparation is already complete professionally and legally, and sovereignty can be applied tomorrow morning."
It’s on Netanyahu's desk, but persuasion and pressure are still needed
Regarding the Prime Minister's position, which has not yet been explicitly or publicly stated but which will ultimately decide, Minister Smotrich says that Netanyahu has mentioned multiple times that the issue is on the table and that different options for implementing the move are being considered. Some people around him believe it would be appropriate to apply sovereignty only in the Jordan Valley due to the national consensus there. Smotrich, on the other hand, is convinced it is both right and feasible to apply sovereignty over all the open territory, estimated at 82 percent of Judea and Samaria – an area where hardly any Arabs live.
In areas with a dense Arab population, the Palestinian Authority would temporarily remain the holder of municipal responsibilities, while in open territory, Israeli sovereignty would be enforced, allowing for the establishment of more Jewish farms and communities.
To counter those who advocate for only partial sovereignty, Smotrich continues to hold an ongoing dialogue with the Prime Minister. "It requires a lot of persuasion, pressure, and political strength. We are determined not to miss this opportunity. There is also broad public support for this in Israel, including a right-wing government and a sympathetic and supportive administration in the US for any logical move. After all, President Trump was the one who put his pen on the table to demonstrate just how tiny Israel is in the Middle Eastern region."
At the same time, Smotrich emphasizes again that "American recognition is not a sine qua non. We annexed the Golan Heights, and for decades the Americans did not recognize our sovereignty there."
And what about European countries and other nations? "They will be angry, but they are also angry now when we demand our basic right to self-defense. We shouldn't be impressed by their hypocrisy. We will indeed need to conduct a diplomatic struggle and international advocacy – we are not a people that dwells alone – but today, unlike in the past, we have legitimacy from the largest, most important, and strongest country in the world, and it can protect us from steps by other countries."
As Finance Minister, doesn't the prospect of economic sanctions on Israel concern him? Smotrich clarifies that while he doesn't take this lightly, in his view, the significance of such a threat should not be exaggerated. "Clearly we need to conduct a diplomatic campaign here and we are doing so. On this matter, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar deserves credit, and we have succeeded in blocking certain moves quite effectively, but beyond that, we are a strong economy that has been thriving despite two years of war. We have great market potential, and if one market closes, another will open. The world is huge, and the Israeli market is relatively small," he says, citing the recent investment protection agreement he signed with India, the world's fourth-largest economy.
“I do not foresee international isolation. There might be a less favorable atmosphere in some places, so we'll explore new markets. Life takes precedence over quality of life, and removing the idea of a Palestinian state is an existential event for us, our children, and future generations.”
Why sovereignty? And Why Declare Statehood?
Given the dramatic steps he has taken in the last three years throughout Judea and Samaria – in settlement, agriculture, traffic arteries, and more – steps he himself described as practical implementation of sovereignty on the ground, we ask Minister Smotrich whether it wouldn't have been wiser to continue with such initiatives, which are somehow overlooked by a world that is content with feeble protests, rather than risk real policy sanctions.
“One might also question the very creation of the state of Israel. After all, under the British mandate there was Jewish settlement here, agriculture, and a Zionist project, so why establish a state that would anger the world?” answers Smotrich and answers: “Declaring that this land belongs to us carries great importance. I am not aware of any precedent where a state gives away sovereign territory. If we want to eliminate the idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda – which poses an existential threat to us – simply establishing facts on the ground isn't enough. We need to assert that the land is ours and declare sovereignty. If we don't take advantage of the current political situation, it will be a huge missed opportunity. He also emphasizes that “fulfilling the commandment of inheriting the land is a Torah obligation, as defined by Maimonides. Alongside sovereignty, we must of course continue establishing facts on the ground.”