Dim Amor

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich published today on his official X account a sharp and unambiguous political message directed squarely at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Gone are the days when Britain and other countries will determine our future", wrote Smotrich, adding that "the Mandate is over and the only response to the anti-Israeli move is sovereignty over the homeland territories of the Jewish people in Judea and Samaria and removing the absurd idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda forever". Smotrich concluded with a direct call: "Mr. Prime Minister, the time is now and it is in your hands".

The publication comes amid a diplomatic storm following sanctions imposed by Britain on the Finance Minister, a move perceived among right-wing circles as illegitimate interference in the internal affairs of the State of Israel. Smotrich chose to respond not through conventional diplomatic channels, but with an unequivocal call for practical action that would change reality on the ground.

Behind the public message lies a well-planned governmental strategy. In recent weeks, plans have been revealed that Smotrich has promoted to apply Israeli law to extensive areas in Judea and Samaria, plans whose stated purpose is to prevent any possibility of establishing a Palestinian state. Political sources define this as a maneuver designed to "crush" the Palestinian option through creating facts on the ground.

The chairman of Religious Zionism continues to act consistently according to a clear worldview: Israel will not allow the establishment of a hostile Palestinian entity in the heart of the Land of Israel. In his view, the international measures against him are nothing but further confirmation of the correctness of the path – the more the pressure intensifies, the more Israel must accelerate the process of applying sovereignty.

The direct appeal to the Prime Minister is not coincidental. Smotrich chooses to act openly, placing Netanyahu before a historic decision: to continue a policy of talk and crisis management, or to make the transition to a policy of action and determination. "The time is now and it is in your hands" – a sentence designed to place clear responsibility on the Likud leader.

In right-wing circles, Smotrich's call is interpreted as a resolute patriotic gesture. The left, on the other hand, is expected to see it as a dangerous provocation that could lead to complete international isolation. But Smotrich is not deterred by the criticism. On the contrary – he sees it as evidence that his policy is hitting precisely the interests that need to be hit.

The central message emerging from the post is a paradigm shift: Israel no longer needs to justify itself or defend itself. It needs to act. "The Mandate is over" – a sentence symbolizing the end of an era in which foreign powers determined the fate of Jews in their land. The call to remove "the absurd idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda" reflects a conception according to which the Palestinian idea is not only dangerous from a security perspective, but also anti-historical and requires complete elimination from public discourse.

Netanyahu now finds himself at a critical junction. On one hand, international pressures are mounting. On the other hand, his main coalition partner demands that he lead a strategic move that will change the face of the region. Will the Prime Minister dare to take the historic step of applying sovereignty, or will he continue the line of freezing the situation while managing ongoing crises? Smotrich has made clear: the ball is now in Netanyahu's court, and history will judge his choice.

Photograph of Bezalel Smotrich from the Knesset website – used in accordance with Section 27A of the law