Far-right Israeli legislators have sparked controversy by advocating lethal military force against Palestinians engaged in waste-burning activities during a parliamentary committee session on Wednesday. Zvi Sukkot of the Otzma Yehudit party explicitly called for aerial attacks, stating “The Air Force needs to act and kill them” through either shooting or airstrikes.
The proposal received endorsement from committee chairman Yitzhak Kreuzer, who suggested deploying F-16 fighter jets to “put out the fire,” and Environment Minister Idit Silman of the Likud party. All three officials justified extreme measures by categorizing waste burning as acts of terrorism.
Simultaneously, Minister Silman proposed establishing a “Judea and Samaria district” within her ministry—using biblical terminology for the occupied West Bank—which would effectively extend Israeli civilian administration into Palestinian territories. She characterized this move as “a de facto annexation that brings important environmental sovereignty.
The discussion occurred amid increasing settler complaints about fires allegedly caused by Palestinian waste disposal practices. Dafna Ravid-Rabinovich, head of a regional settlement council, expressed frustration over the absence of guidance for settlers, questioning what protective measures residents should take.
This development coincides with Israel’s ongoing policy of expanding civilian ministry involvement in West Bank administration beyond military governance. International law considers the presence of over 700,000 Israeli settlers in occupied territories illegal, while experts warn that increased civilian oversight constitutes de facto annexation—an objective openly supported by numerous Israeli officials.