Israeli minister sets out plan to 'Judaize' Arab population centers

Israel's far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich laid out a plan on Thursday to dramatically increase the Jewish population in the Negev and Galilee, two Israeli regions with large Arab-Israeli populations. The announcement comes ahead of elections on October 27, with Smotrich's party close to the threshold needed to enter parliament.

What is Smotrich's plan for the Negev and Galilee?

Smotrich's plan aims to bring one million additional Jews to the Negev and Galilee through 40 new communities, dozens of farms and the expansion of existing towns. It also calls for hundreds of thousands of new housing units and new industrial and employment zones. He described the plan as a "Judaization" of the two regions, modelled on Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.

What did Smotrich say about the plan?

"Today I present to you the Religious Zionism's plan for the Judaization of the Negev and Galilee: the revolution we carried out in Judea and Samaria, we will carry out in the Negev and Galilee, and on a massive scale," Smotrich wrote on X, using the Biblical name for the West Bank. His party also posted an AI-generated video on X showing two Arab men shouting and crying about the proposed plan.

Who lives in the Negev and Galilee?

The Negev lies in southern Israel and the Galilee in the north, and both are home to large Arab-Israeli populations. Most of Israel's Arab minority identify as Palestinian, and are either people who remained in the territory after Israel's creation in 1948 or their descendants. They make up about 21 percent of the country's 10.2 million people.

What did Smotrich say about Arab communities in these regions?

Smotrich said his party would "cancel the reckless plans in Arab communities, which have taken over land reserves and threaten Jewish settlement in the area." He also said his party would demand that the next government "remove barriers and place Zionist professionals in key positions." Smotrich's party is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.

How does this plan relate to Israel's upcoming election?

Israel is heading toward tight elections on October 27, with Netanyahu facing an uphill battle to retain power. Current polling puts Smotrich's party just on the cusp of reaching the electoral threshold needed to enter the next parliament. The timing of the announcement places the Negev and Galilee plan directly within the pre-election campaign.

What is Israel's settlement policy in the West Bank?

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and more than 500,000 Israelis now live there in settlements considered illegal under international law. The territory is home to about three million Palestinians. Smotrich cited the pace of settlement construction in the West Bank as the model for his proposed expansion in the Negev and Galilee.