Israeli expert: The reinforcement of the occupation in the West Bank is happening practically without an official announcement.

The Israeli researcher and expert -Mikhail Milstein- head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Dian Center at Tel Aviv University, believes that the occupied West Bank is gradually moving towards reinforcing its occupation by de facto, without any official announcement.

He confirms that this development is driven by political plans led by the Israeli government, primarily by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in addition to the weakness of the Palestinian Authority and the erosion of its governing capacity.

He points out that Smotrich has been working for years to push a plan aimed at "changing the DNA of the West Bank" and reaching a point of no return that prevents any possibility of separation between the two peoples.

Last week, a detailed executive plan was revealed that aligns with Smotrich's vision announced in 2017, which is based on "annexing" 82% of the West Bank's land, including Bethlehem and Qalqilya.

The article warns that reinforcing the occupation of the West Bank will have seismic repercussions on Israel's international standing, as it is expected to increase Tel Aviv's isolation and multiply external pressures.

Moreover, reinforcing the occupation of the West Bank will lead to escalating tensions with the Arab world: Egypt fears what it considers a "conspiracy" aimed at pushing the residents of Gaza towards Sinai.

Internally, Milstein believes that reinforcing the occupation of the West Bank will increase the fragility of the Israeli situation at a moment when the country is experiencing deep internal divisions.

The article goes on to state that the discussion of reinforcing the occupation of the West Bank highlights the blurred distinctions between the Likud party and the national religious stream.

Milstein sees that the United States, specifically President Donald Trump, was the only entity that succeeded in 2020 in curbing the momentum of reinforcing the occupation of the West Bank in exchange for the Abraham Accords.

Milstein concludes by emphasizing that the Israeli public must impose a deep national discussion about the future of the relationship with the Palestinians.