Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday called for far-reaching counter-terrorism measures, including expanding military operations in Judea and Samaria, as well as dismantling the Palestinian Authority and tougher enforcement against Israelis who employ Palestinians illegally.
“In my view, which has been well known for many years, terrorism is a product of hope. When we cut off that hope, there will be no future for terrorism,” Smotrich told JNS, speaking at the faction meeting of his Religious Zionism Party at the Knesset in Jerusalem on Monday.
The more Jerusalem consolidates control of “all parts of the homeland,” including Judea and Samaria, “the more we cut off this hope, somewhat in the spirit of Jabotinsky’s Iron Wall, resulting in less terrorism,” he said
Additional factors that Israel must confront in order to undermine hope are: tackle the refugee camps, dismantle the PA educational system, which only promotes incitement, and, of course, ceasing the illegal funding of terrorism including the Pay to Slay program.