Smotrich Sparks Controversy Over West Bank Settlement Visit

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sparked outrage Thursday after being photographed next to graffiti reading “Death to Arabs” during a visit to the evacuated settlement of Sa-Nur in the northern West Bank. The photo, shared by the Samaria Regional Council, also included the slogan “The people of Israel are returning to Sa-Nur.” A revised version of the image was later published, cropping out the inflammatory graffiti.

Smotrich was joined on the visit by Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, who was himself evacuated from Sa-Nur two decades ago during the 2005 Gaza Disengagement Plan. The photo was taken inside a building that has remained since the withdrawal, a site repeatedly reentered by settlers in defiance of the law.

The visit comes months after a secret cabinet decision in May to formally recognize Sa-Nur and 22 other outposts in the West Bank as official settlements. During the tour, Smotrich declared:

“The struggle against the expulsion was fierce. We had hoped to prevent that terrible folly. But even then, we knew that if the expulsion went through, we would return. That applies to Gaza and certainly to the Shomron (Samaria).”

He added:

“The repeal of the Disengagement Law in the Knesset, and the cabinet’s decision to establish 50 new communities, including the reestablishment of Sa-Nur, is a vote of confidence in the settlers by the people of Israel. It is a deep expression of appreciation for those dedicating their lives to settling our land.”

Council head Yossi Dagan called the moment “the closure of a personal and national circle,” emphasizing:

“Twenty years after the injustice of the expulsion, we are now partners in repairing it. For the first time, we arrived as an organized return group, alongside Minister Smotrich and IDF forces, as official representatives of the people of Israel with the goal of returning for good.”

Dagan vowed the community would be rebuilt:

“For twenty years, we have fought since the moment of the expulsion. We swore we would not rest until we returned to correct it. Today, we began cleaning and preparing the area. We are here to return, and we will continue with full force until Sa-Nur is rebuilt. We returned to Homesh; we will return to Ganim and Kadim, and eventually, to Gush Katif.”

In response to the photo’s controversy, Smotrich’s office released a statement distancing the minister from the graffiti:

“We noticed the graffiti only after the photo was published and completely disavow the content. What bothers the media is not some foolish graffiti that no one paid attention to, but rather the fact that Minister Smotrich is leading a revolution in settlement and security in Judea and Samaria, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in decades. We are proud to be part of correcting the expulsion from northern Samaria and reviving settlement in Sa-Nur, out of deep love for the people and humanity.”

The incident has stirred criticism across political and media circles, with many pointing to the dangers of such imagery amid rising tensions in the region.