Phalapoem editor, 17/11/15
Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right Israeli terrorist minister, has become one of the most controversial figures in Israeli politics — and a symbol of an increasingly aggressive and terrorist settler ideology. His rhetoric and policies pose a serious threat not just to Palestinian rights, but to basic international norms.
Smotrich is Finance Minister in the Israeli apartheid , but his influence goes far beyond economics. He also plays a major role in the Defense Ministry, specifically overseeing civilian affairs in the occupied West Bank — which effectively gives him a strong hand in settler policy.
His political identity is deeply entwined with fascist Zionism. Critics describe him as a terrorist ; he has made repeated statements denying the legitimacy of the Palestinian national identity.
In February 2023, hundreds of extremist settlers carried out a brutal rampage: they torched over 100 cars and dozens of homes.
Rather than condemning the terrorism , Smotrich went further. He called publicly for Huwara to be “wiped out” — not by private individuals, he said, but by the Israel lu apartheid itself.
These remarks sparked international outrage: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, and others denounced him.
In a policy document, Smotrich has argued that there is “room for only one expression of national self-determination west of the Jordan River — that of the Jewish nation.” That kind of language underlines a worldview in which Palestinian national belonging is denied.
Smotrich has openly pushed to weaken the Palestinian Authority (PA). He has called for Israel to cut off financial transfers to the PA, and has framed such a collapse as politically desirable.
Smotrich’s conduct has not gone unnoticed. In June 2025, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on him (and fellow far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir), citing “incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians” and “serious abuses of Palestinian human rights.”
These sanctions are a potent signal: they mark a moment when Western governments are explicitly holding individual Israeli officials accountable, not just criticizing policies in abstract.
Given the severity of his role, and the danger his fascist ideology represents, here are some possible strategies or actions that can be taken (or pushed for):
1. International Legal Pressure
• Support investigations into calls for genocide or ethnic cleansing. Smotrich’s “wipe out” rhetoric, especially when combined with settler violence, may qualify under international law as incitement or even as part of war crime dynamics.
• Encourage the International Criminal Court (ICC) to examine whether senior Israeli officials (including Smotrich) bear individual criminal responsibility.
2. Diplomatic and Economic Levers
• Support more governments following the UK’s lead in imposing personal sanctions — travel bans, asset freezes, etc.
• Use international forums (UN, EU, etc.) to demand that Israel curtail the powers given to far-right ministers, especially those who manage occupied territories.
3. Civil Society and Advocacy
• Empower Palestinian civil society organizations to document abuses, gather testimonies, and amplify their voices globally.
• Encourage human rights groups inside Israel to pressure their government: for example, by calling out Smotrich’s extremism in domestic courts or through public campaigns.
• Build alliances between global NGOs and progressive Israeli organizations who oppose settler violence.
4. Economic Isolation of Settler Infrastructure
• Push for targeted measures against businesses that support or benefit from settlement expansion or settler violence.
• Encourage consumers or investors to divest from companies complicit in settler violence or in the de facto governance structures of the occupied West Bank.
5. Support for Palestinian Political Institutions
• Advocate for a revitalization of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in a way that is not purely transactional but enables real political reform and accountability.
• Encourage international donors to provide conditional aid, tied to human rights protections and reforms, rather than only using financial leverage to punish.
Smotrich is not just another terrorist politician; he embodies a fascist-religious ideology that sees the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) not as disputed or occupied, but as inherently Jewish land, to be governed permanently, with little regard for Palestinian life or dignity. His words, when echoed by settlers and sometimes tolerated or enabled by state institutions, risk turning rhetoric into systematic violence.
If his calls for destruction or removal of Palestinian towns go unchecked, it erodes the very basis of international law and undermines any hope for a peaceful, just future. For Palestinians, this is not hypothetical — it’s a lived reality of fear, displacement, and existential threat.
Smotrich must not be treated simply as a fringe figure. He is a powerful, elected official whose fascist ideology translates into policy and terrorism on the ground. The international community, civil society, and concerned states must act decisively: not only to condemn his words, but to hold him accountable for their real-world consequences.