Israel’s Smotrich calls for ‘war’ in West Bank: Rhetoric or real threat?

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for a full-scale war in the occupied West Bank, urging the military to adopt tactics used in Gaza. He also proposed annexing southern Lebanon and Gaza territories under Israeli control. His comments come about a month before the general elections amid rising violence and demonization of Palestinian citizens of Israel. Smotrich, known for inflammatory language against Palestinians, claims to have solutions for ongoing violence in the area.