Israeli justice minister demands government accelerate annexation of occupied West Bank

Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin called on his government on Wednesday to accelerate the annexation of the occupied West Bank.

“I think that this period, beyond the current issues, is a time of historic opportunity that we must not miss,” Levin said during his meeting with the head of a settler council, as cited by The Times of Israel news outlet.

The minister claimed that the West Bank annexation is essential for Israel’s security, calling the occupied territory “not just the heart of the land but also the safety belt for the State of Israel.”

“The time for sovereignty has come, the time to apply sovereignty. My position on this matter is firm, it is clear,” Levin said.

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As of the end of 2024, approximately 770,000 illegal Israeli settlers lived in the West Bank, across 180 settlements and 256 outposts – including 138 classified as agricultural or pastoral, according to Palestinian reports.

Israeli government data show that illegal settlers staged 414 attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank in the first half of this year, up 30% from 2024.

Since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza in October 2023, at least 988 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last July declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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