Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu signed a deal overnight on Thursday to give an ultranationalist religious party oversight over the construction of West Bank settlements, a move that brings him closer to forming what could be the country’s most right-wing and religious government in its history.
A minister from the Religious Zionism party led by Bezalel Smotrich will be placed within Israel’s defence ministry and be responsible for settlements inside the occupied West Bank, according to Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party. The party said the minister from Religious Zionism in charge of settlements would need to act in co-ordination and with the approval of Mr Netanyahu.
The post would control Israeli military bodies responsible for planning and construction in the West Bank, a spokesman for Mr Smotrich said. The position could allow the pro-settler party to significantly expand Israeli settlements.
“This is another significant step that brings us closer to the establishment of a nationalist and right-wing government that will care for all citizens,” Mr Netanyahu said after the deal was signed.
Read the article by Dov Lieber in The Australian.