Far-right lawmakers rage against IDF, demand West Bank annexation

Lawmakers from the far-right Jewish Power party lashed out at the IDF for “abusing” settlers and called on the government to annex the West Bank on Wednesday. 

Jewish Power party lawmaker and Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister, Amichai Eliyahu, told Army Radio that an annexation of the West Bank should begin “as soon as possible.”

Jewish Power, Religious Zionism, Noam, and several Likud MK’s support annexing the West Bank, but the government has so far refrained from following through on it.

Meanwhile, tensions between the far-right lawmakers in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government rose again on Wednesday, when Jewish Power party lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech accused Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fuchs of failing to protect settlers in the West Bank.

“He takes care of the Arabs and on the other hand he abuses the residents of Judea and Samaria (West Bank),” Har-Melech told ultra-Orthodox radio station Kol Barama.

“The time has come for a defense minister that cares for the right. He knowingly endangers the lives of Judea and Samaria residents. I would prefer a different defense minister who will care for the settlers,” she added.

Har-Melech’s comment came after Likud lawmaker Avichay Buaron made similar claims about Fuchs, telling KAN Public Broadcaster that it is “more important” for the IDF Central Command chief to allow movement rights for Palestinians “than hermetically protecting Israelis.”

“Since Fuchs entered the role in 2021, the terror attacks have doubled. He brought with him an attitude of tolerance to the Palestinian population,” he said in a later interview on Army Radio.

The far-right parties in Netanyahu’s government have repeatedly lashed out at the IDF and Defence Minister Gallant, accusing them of abusing settlers and being too soft on the Palestinians.