The Slow-Motion Annexation Gambit
The Actors: Who's Pulling the Levers? The primary actor here is the Israeli government, specifically its Ministry of Justice and the Civil Administration, which operates under the Ministry of Defense. While the military commander formally holds authority in the occupied territories, real control and policy directives emanate from political leaders in Jerusalem. Key figures include Justice Minister
Yariv Levin, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has openly advocated for annexation and settlement expansion. The World Zionist Organization's Settlement Division also plays a crucial, though less visible, role in identifying and 'managing' lands for Jewish development. The Funding: Subsidizing Dispossession The process of settlement expansion is heavily
subsidized by the Israeli state. For example, in 2023, the Israeli government allocated over 2.5 billion shekels (approximately $670 million) directly to West Bank settlements through various ministries, including housing, education, and transportation (Peace Now, 2024). This figure doesn't even include indirect benefits or the significant tax breaks and incentives offered to settlers. This
financial apparatus ensures that the 'development' spurred by these new land rules has a solid fiscal backing, effectively incentivizing further entrenchment. The Incentives: Land, Ideology, and Power For the governing coalition, the incentives are multifold. Ideologically, many right-wing and religious Zionist factions view the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) as integral parts of biblical Israel,