Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich openly declared on Wednesday that "Israel" is moving ahead with plans to annex vast areas of the occupied West Bank, in what rights groups and international bodies describe as a flagrant violation of international law.

Speaking at a press conference in occupied al-Quds, Smotrich stood before a map depicting the potential seizure of most of the West Bank, excluding only six major Palestinian cities such as Ramallah and Nablus, according to Reuters. He boasted that he seeks to impose so-called "sovereignty" over 82% of the territory, declaring: "It is time to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and remove once and for all the idea of dividing our small land and establishing a terrorist state in its heart."

Smotrich went further, threatening to dismantle the Palestinian Authority (PA): "If the Palestinian Authority dares to rise up and try to harm us, we will destroy them just as we do Hamas."

Settlement expansion as precursor

The minister's remarks follow the August 14 announcement of the controversial E1 settlement plan, which would link the illegal Ma'ale Adumim bloc with occupied al-Quds. Long branded a "doomsday settlement" by diplomats and human rights groups, the project would bisect the West Bank, cutting East al-Quds off from the rest of Palestinian territory. At the time, Smotrich vowed: "We will bury the idea of a Palestinian state once and for all… and by September, Europe will have nothing to recognize."

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In parallel, new illegal outposts have been established across the West Bank in recent weeks. On August 31, settlers moved into a new neighborhood called Aviad near Kiryat Arba, on the outskirts of al-Khalil, in what the settlement council described as a "historic step" designed to sever Palestinian land continuity from Al-Khalil to the Naqab Desert.

Read more: Russia warns 'Israel' E1 plan threatens Palestinian statehood

Cabinet deliberations with US backing

Smotrich's declaration also builds on deliberations within the Israeli Security Cabinet earlier this week. According to Israeli media, the cabinet debated applying "sovereignty" over select West Bank areas as France and other European states prepare to recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained cautious, US officials told their Israeli counterparts that "the decision on sovereignty lies in Israel's hands," a message widely interpreted as tacit approval.

In August, US House Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed settler narratives during a West Bank visit, pledging to eliminate the term "West Bank" from official US discourse. Likewise, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said the Trump administration respects "Israel's" right to decide on annexation.

Regional and legal backlash

The declaration comes amid intensifying international pressure. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in July 2024 that the occupation and settlement enterprise are illegal, calling for their immediate end and urging states not to recognize or support the situation created by them. UN Security Council Resolution 2334 similarly reaffirmed that settlements "have no legal validity" and constitute a flagrant breach of international law.

Even the United Arab Emirates, a signatory to the 2020 Abraham Accords, has voiced alarm. Assistant Minister Lana Nusseibeh warned last week that annexation would cross a "red line," undermine the Accords, and destroy the vision of two states "living side by side in peace, prosperity, and security."

Smotrich's threats to dismantle the PA and entrench settlement expansion underscore the far-right's determination to erase Palestinian statehood, raising fears of a renewed flashpoint both diplomatically and on the ground.