Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Monday for the establishment of "security zones around Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank to keep Palestinian farmers away during the olive harvest season." The harvest season often accompanies clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents in the West Bank, as Palestinian olive farmers spend more time outdoors to gather their crop. Smotrich, who leads a religious nationalist party in the ruling right-wing coalition, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant, urging them to create special areas around the settlements to prevent Palestinians from approaching "including during the olive harvest season."
Smotrich stated that "the attack launched by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7 against southern Israel provided lessons for the Israeli settlements in the West Bank." In his letter, he requested the immediate issuance of "written instructions from the political level to the Israel Defense Forces to establish those extensive security zones around the settlements and roads, and to prevent Arabs from approaching them," suggesting compensation for those who are deprived of access to their crops. Netanyahu's office declined to comment, while Galant's office has not issued any statement yet.
