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Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has initiated steps towards incorporating settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In an announcement on Monday, Smotrich, who oversees the settlements, instructed his department to begin preparing the necessary infrastructure to "apply sovereignty" in the area. The likelihood of Smotrich's longstanding goal to fully implement Israeli law in the settlements remains uncertain, but his latest move appears strategically aimed at securing his political position within Israel's complex political landscape.

The Palestinian Authority was quick to condemn Smotrich's declaration. The Palestinian foreign affairs ministry labeled the comments as a "blatantly colonial and racist extension" of what they describe as an ongoing campaign of "extermination and forced displacement" against the Palestinian populace. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority's presidency, accused the Israeli government of revealing its intentions to "finalize its plans for taking control of the West Bank by 2025." He also held both Israeli authorities and the US administration accountable for permitting Israel to continue its "crimes, aggression, and defiance" of international norms and laws.

Addressing the Knesset, Israel's parliament, Smotrich highlighted the significance of US President-elect Donald Trump's victory, suggesting it presents a critical opportunity for Israel. Smotrich asserted that the "threat" of a Palestinian state could only be removed by extending Israeli sovereignty over the entire settlements in Judea and Samaria, the biblical terms Israelis use for the West Bank.

Israel has maintained occupation of the West Bank since capturing it from Jordan in 1967, subsequently expanding Jewish settlements in the region—a move considered illegal under international law. Despite the progress made through peace agreements in the 1990s, around half a million Israelis currently reside in these settlements. Smotrich, a settler himself, has consistently opposed the formation of an independent Palestinian state and advocated for the application of Israeli law within the settlements.

Smotrich intends to lead a government initiative to collaborate with the incoming Trump administration and the international community to gain recognition for Israeli sovereignty in the region. During Trump's initial term, several actions favored Israel, including recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017 and acknowledging Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, areas linked to the 1967 war and considered occupied by international standards.

Smotrich has directed the Settlement Division in the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Administration to begin comprehensive planning for implementing sovereignty over the settlements. Citing Trump's favorable stance on the legality and legitimacy of settlements in Judea and Samaria, Smotrich emphasized that the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and four Arab nations, have set the stage for this move.

CNN has sought a response from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office regarding Smotrich's statements.