Bezalel Smotrich pushes for West Bank evacuation after being linked with ICC warrant
The Jerusalem Post • • world
Key Points:
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him, which he termed a “declaration of war,” and declared he would sign an order to evacuate the Palestinian village Khan al-Ahmar in response.
- Smotrich accused the ICC of acting as the "voice of the Palestinian Authority" and vowed to retaliate against what he described as a war initiated by the Palestinian Authority through the arrest warrants.
- The Khan al-Ahmar village has been a contentious site, with past Israeli court rulings permitting eviction, though international bodies like the UN and ICC warn that demolishing it may violate international law and constitute a war crime.
- Smotrich, who leads the Settlements Administration responsible for West Bank settlement expansion, has faced international criticism for his calls to annex the West Bank and for policies seen as undermining Israel’s global standing.
- He emphasized his commitment to defend Israel’s sovereignty and rights, stating that the ICC’s actions would not deter him personally or politically, and promised to take concrete actions within his ministerial authority against economic or other targets.
