Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich Vows to Collapse Palestinian Authority During Funeral for Slain Teenager

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calls for the end of the Palestinian Authority and the erasure of territorial lines during a West Bank funeral service.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 22, 2026, 12:33 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

Government Minister Calls for Dismantling Palestinian Governance

During a poignant funeral service in the northern West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a direct challenge to the existence of the Palestinian Authority. Addressing a crowd of mourners gathered for Yehuda Sherman, Smotrich characterized the administrative body as a source of terror and pledged that the state would work toward its ultimate collapse. This rhetoric signals a significant escalation in the government's approach to West Bank administration, moving beyond simple containment toward a policy of total institutional displacement.

Proposed Erasure of Territorial Divisions and Jurisdictions

In a sweeping policy declaration, Smotrich suggested that the traditional legal definitions separating West Bank territories into Areas A, B, and C should be abolished. He articulated a vision of settling all parts of the land without regard for the administrative boundaries established under previous international agreements. By stating his intent to "wipe out the lines," the Finance Minister underscored a strategic goal to unify the territory under Israeli control, effectively ending the limited self-governance currently exercised by Palestinian leadership in specific enclaves.

Supporters Describe Victim as Agent of Territorial Expansion

Interviews conducted at the funeral provided insight into the ideological motivations of the community, with associates describing the late Yehuda Sherman as a dedicated participant in a strategic mission. Gedalia, a 27-year-old resident of the nearby Yitzhar settlement, claimed that Sherman’s daily activities were focused on removing Palestinian presence from the land to facilitate further Jewish settlement. According to this perspective, the teen’s work with his herd was not merely agricultural but served as a deliberate effort to reclaim territory and establish a dominant presence in the northern West Bank.