Smotrich: Israel to 'Encourage Migration' of Palestinians From West Bank and Gaza
Will Israel's plans improve local administration or simply speed up Palestinian dispossession of their land?
Above: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (C) in the Knesset on Oct. 15, 2025. Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
For the first time since the Six-Day War, Israel is restoring order and governance to Judea and Samaria. This will enable the state to better regulate land disputes, create legal certainty and pave the way for legal and responsible development.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Following decades of settlements that are contrary to international law being built in the West Bank, Israel's latest move seeks to formalize the annexation. This will only speed up the forcible transfer and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land.
