Weekly Commentary: Defense Minister Can Pocket Veto Any Promise Related to
Judea and Samaria
Dr. Aaron Lerner 24 November 2022

Smotrich is not a child.

He knows that if the minister of defense continues to have authority over
civil affairs in Judea and Samaria and Smotrich isn't the DM that literally
every promise made by Binyamin Netanyahu to his coalition partners regarding
Judea and Samaria can be rendered worthless.

The DM has absolute authority to approve or refuse to approve the
construction of even a square centimeter.

The DM also effectively determines the extent to which there is active
enforcement of the law against illegal Arab construction in Area C.

The same talking heads who today are attacking Smotrich for insisting that
he either serves as DM or that authority for civil affairs in Judea and
Samaria be transferred to the Ministry of Finance with Smotrich holding that
portfolio will later ridicule him for being a patsy if he gives in only to
find that the DM Netanyahu appoints institutes a building freeze for Jews
and continues the hands off illegal Arab construction policy of DM Gantz.

One can still hold out hope that Binyamin Netanyahu is simply going through
the motions to prove to the Americans and others that he tried his best to
neutralize Smotrich but found himself left to choose between another round
of elections and ceding to Smotrich's demand.

If that is the case Netanyahu will be able to have his cake and eat it to.

When talking to foreign leaders Netanyahu can explain that he wanted a
freeze but his hands were tied. And when election are held again in a few
years Netanyahu can take credit for the Jewish construction and control of
illegal Arab construction.

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