Far-right minister calls for Israeli sovereignty in West Bank in 2025

Israel’s far-right finance minister said on Monday that he hopes Israel will extend sovereignty into the occupied West Bank in 2025.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also wields a defense ministry supervisory role for settlers as part of his coalition deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said he hopes the incoming Trump administration in Washington will recognize an Israeli sovereignty push, according to a statement from Smotrich’s office.

Smotrich has for years called for Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank, land the Palestinians want for a future state.