Palestine weekly: Israeli politicians vie to look toughest before election | Israel Election 2026 News | Al Jazeera

Ahead of Israel's elections, the political atmosphere is increasingly tense, with ministers launching an illegal settlement in the West Bank during a ceremony and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defiantly addressing the UN. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released a video threatening to kill a jailed Hamas figure, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the army to go to war in the occupied West Bank. Additionally, a new illegal settlement, Metzoke Eretz, was established in the West Bank on land previously used for an outpost, amid ongoing demolitions and closures during Sukkot.