Israeli Finance Minister Declares Settlement Plan to 'Bury' Idea of Palestinian State

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said work would start on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, a move his office declared would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state.

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MAALE ADUMIM, West Bank - Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said work would start on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, a move his office declared would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state.

Standing at the site in Maale Adumim, Mr. Smotrich said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed to the revival of the El scheme, though there was no immediate confirmation from either.

"Whoever in the world is trying to recognize a Palestinian state today will receive our answer on the ground. Not with documents nor with decisions or statements, but with facts. Facts of houses, facts of neighborhoods," he said.

Israel froze construction plans at Maale Adumim in 2012, and again after a revival in 2020, because of objections from the U.S., European allies, and other powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

The move could further isolate Israel, which has watched some of its Western allies condemn its military offensive in Gaza in the war with Palestinian militant group Hamas and announce they will recognize a Palestinian state.