Smotrich Reveals Israel’s War Plans: Trump’s Support and Arab Regimes’ Silent Backing

Watan-If you want to understand the plans of the Israeli right, which are endorsed by Trump, follow the key points that Bezalel Smotrich mentioned in his interview with The Jerusalem Post. These statements explain why he remains in Netanyahu’s government despite opposing the ceasefire and the prisoner exchange deal.

Key points from Smotrich’s statements:

Resumption of the War on Gaza:

• If Hamas agrees to lay down its arms, its leaders leave the Strip, and all hostages are released, there would be no need for force.
• However, he believes this scenario is unlikely and asserts that Israel will return to war shortly after the first phase of the deal is completed, meaning at the beginning of March.

Trump Adopts the Positions of the Israeli Right:

• Smotrich stated that there is no such thing as Trump preventing Israel from resuming the war, emphasizing that Israel has the right to act as it sees fit.
• He added, “The question is not whether he will allow us or not, but rather whether it will be easier or harder? The prevailing impression is that the Trump administration is on the same page with us.”

Arab Regimes Support the War on Gaza:

• Smotrich claimed that the “moderate axis” (Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia) secretly wants Israel to go to the maximum extent and completely destroy Hamas.
• He added that Israel is carrying out this mission for the benefit of these countries, pointing out that eliminating Hamas serves the Arab regimes supporting the occupation even more than it serves Israelis themselves.

A Historic Opportunity to Reshape the Middle East:

• Smotrich sees Israel’s military power in the war, combined with Trump’s policies, as a “historic opportunity” to completely change the region.
• He claimed that this would lead to a “massive wave of development and prosperity” in the Middle East.

The Future of the West Bank:

• He stated that the solution lies in granting Palestinian cities local civil authorities, but “without sovereignty.”
• He added that this was the “Emirati plan,” referring to an administrative governance model without political independence.

Analysis of the Statements:

• Smotrich openly declares that the war will resume in March, regardless of current settlements.
• He openly acknowledges that “moderate” Arab regimes are secretly pushing the occupation to completely destroy Hamas.
• He indicates that Trump will not prevent the war but may even facilitate it, reinforcing the idea that the next U.S. administration could be more supportive of the occupation than the previous one.
• His West Bank plan closely resembles the “autonomous governance” model promoted by the UAE, without granting the Palestinians real sovereignty.

These statements outline an Israeli-American-Arab roadmap aimed at redrawing the map of Palestine through displacement, elimination, and the destruction of any resistance project.