The “Israeli” far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bolster the building of settlements in the West Bank, in response to Norway, Spain, and Ireland jointly announcing they will recognize the state of Palestine.

Also Read: Ireland recognizes Palestinian state, Spain to follow on May 28

Smotrich asked Netnayahu to approve the building of 10,000 new housing units, advance a government proposal to strengthen settlements, in addition to establishing a new settlement for each country that would recognize Palestine in the future.

Smotrich also called Netanyahu to impose “harsh punitive measures” against the Palestinian Authority and cut it off financially.

“At the last cabinet meeting, many ministers, including myself, raised an unequivocal demand for harsh punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority for its unilateral actions against Israel, including its pursuit of unilateral recognition” Smotrich wrote to Netanyahu.