Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich met on Thursday with the heads of the local authorities of the Seam Zone, the narrow area between the 1949 Armistice line and the Judea and Samaria security barrier.
During the meeting, the minister spoke with the heads of the local authorities and heard from them about the critical security needs in the wake of the security situation and the repeated attempts to disturb the order around the fence.
The heads of the authorities raised with Smotrich their concerns over the strengthening of terrorist nests in Palestinian Authority-assigned cities and villages beyond the fence and the growing fear of the formation of a terrorist state beyond the fence. At the same time, they asked for assistance in security-related components, in order to help eradicate the military capabilities of the terrorist nests in the region.
"The State of Israel experienced a terrible attack on the Shabbat of Simchat Torah and it must not allow another attack. The Israeli perception of security must undergo a fundamental change regarding Gaza, Judea and Samaria, the north and also the Seam Zone," clarified Smotrich.
He stated that "the threat posed by Tulkarm must be eradicated and disappear from the world and Tulkarm must turn into rubble. I told the heads of the authorities that I am committed to them and, together with the professional staff at the Ministry of Finance, we will formulate a set of tools and standards that will help them increase the security of the communities and the residents."