'Do there what we did in Gaza': Smotrich calls for full-scale war in occupied West Bank

What Happened

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party, called for Israel to “go to war” in the occupied West Bank and “do there what we did in Gaza” in an interview with Ynet’s 120 and One political podcast ahead of the 27 October elections. Smotrich reasserted his demand to dismantle the Palestinian Authority and rejected joining a unity government, saying “I don’t turn my back on my partners.” He also attacked former Israeli military officer Ofer Winter, who is running with the Amcha Yisrael party, as taking an “irresponsible gamble” and said there is a “99.9 percent chance he won’t cross the threshold.” Amcha Yisrael rejected Smotrich’s assessment, saying that “three years after October 7, there is no decisive victory in Gaza and no voluntary migration.” Smotrich’s call came as Israeli authorities ordered a “comprehensive closure” of crossings into the occupied West Bank for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, according to Wafa. The Palestinian news agency reported that Israeli forces tightened restrictions around Ramallah, closing the entrance gate to Turmus Ayya and entrances to Aboud, Nabi Saleh, Atara and Taybeh, while setting up military checkpoints at Yabroud and Ein Sinyah. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported in August that Israeli settlement outposts were increasingly encroaching from Area C into Area B, and that as of July some 850 Palestinians had been injured in settler attacks in the occupied West Bank since the start of 2026.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Smotrich’s call for a Gaza-style war in the West Bank comes from a senior cabinet minister and leader of a key coalition party, signaling a possible shift toward large-scale Israeli military operations beyond Gaza. It directly threatens the Palestinian Authority’s limited self-rule and could escalate settler violence and movement restrictions that UN agencies and the ICJ have already linked to unlawful settlement expansion and racial separation. With elections approaching, the remarks frame far-right security doctrine as a central electoral issue and could pressure Israeli policy toward further annexation and dispossession in the West Bank.

Watch For

Monitor whether Smotrich’s rhetoric translates into expanded Israeli military operations in the West Bank, especially around Ramallah, and whether the comprehensive closure for Sukkot is extended. Watch the 27 October elections for the performance of Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party and Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael, including whether Winter crosses the electoral threshold. Track further UN or Peace Now reporting on settlement outpost expansion into Areas A and B and any new settler attack casualty figures.