Finance and Defense Minister defends coordinated demolition, vows massive expansion in Gush Etzion to secure Israel’s future.
Smotrich defends Givat Tzur Misgabi demolitions, blasting unauthorized construction and pledging large-scale state-backed expansion to strengthen Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
Israel’s Finance and Defense Minister Bezalel Smotrich delivered a forceful message on Monday following the demolition of several unauthorized structures in the Givat Tzur Misgabi outpost near Metzad in Gush Etzion—emphasizing that the move was coordinated, strategic, and essential for the long-term development of the region.
Smotrich clarified that the operation was initiated by the Gush Etzion Regional Council, carried out with Civil Administration approval, and targeted uninhabited makeshift buildings erected illegally on land earmarked for thousands of new Jewish homes.
🏗️ “Unauthorized Squatting Blocks the Future of Thousands”
Smotrich stressed the seriousness of the issue:
“Some individuals moved into the area on their own, contrary to official plans—blocking the ability to develop thousands of homes.”
The land in question, he said, represents Metzad and Pnei Kedem’s final reserve for growth, making unauthorized construction not merely illegal but strategically damaging.
Talks have been ongoing between the small group of residents and the regional council, but until an agreement is reached, the council demanded a halt to any further construction.
🌄 “We Are Building Everywhere—On a Massive Scale”
Smotrich reaffirmed that state-backed development is surging, not slowing:
“We are developing the communities, building everywhere, planning on a large scale, and declaring state lands. New farms are rising daily, protecting hundreds of thousands of dunams.”
In a pointed message to confrontational hilltop activists, Smotrich said:
“We don’t need anyone to teach us how to do Zionism or build communities.”
🏞️ Gush Etzion Council: “Painful But Necessary”
Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosenthal strongly backed the move, saying:
“A handful of people are seizing hundreds of dunams and erecting makeshift structures on land designated for thousands of homes for the next generation.”
He warned that illegal construction:
- threatens future access roads
- harms neighboring communities
- creates “complete anarchy”
- even enables the sale of private land by people who don’t own it
Rosenthal underscored the strategic national goal:
“This is not how you bring a million Jews to Judea and Samaria.”
⚖️ “Stop the Chaos Now—or Pay a Heavier Price Later”
Rosenthal concluded with a sober warning:
“If we do not stop the rampant construction now, the price tomorrow will be far heavier.”
The message from Israel’s leadership is unmistakable:
Judea and Samaria will expand—strategically, lawfully, and on a scale driven by national vision, not unauthorized improvisation.
