Amidst an enthusiastic gathering of right-wing activists, 12 government ministers and 15 coalition lawmakers affirmed their commitment on Sunday night to reconstruct Jewish settlements in the core of the Gaza Strip and promote the emigration of the Palestinian population post the conflict with Hamas.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the ultranationalist Religious Zionism party, championed the establishment of new settlements, expressing determination: “God willing, we will settle and we will be victorious.” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the extreme-right Otzma Yehudit party, urged the return to Gush Katif, the evacuated Israeli settlement bloc in Gaza, emphasizing the need for a homecoming.
In a collective move, Smotrich, Ben Gvir, and six coalition MKs signed the “Covenant of Victory and Renewal of Settlement,” pledging to “grow Jewish settlements full of life” in the Gaza Strip. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi of Likud went a step further, advocating settlement construction in Gaza and endorsing “encouraging voluntary emigration,” even suggesting that the ongoing war with Hamas might coerce Gazan civilians to express a desire to leave.
Despite the war’s gravity and ongoing hostilities, the absence of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the conference was noted. Netanyahu, the night before, indicated his opposition to resettling Gaza, emphasizing that it was not an accepted government policy.
The event, organized by the Nachala settlement activist group and the Samaria Regional Council, aimed to rally public and government support for building Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. The initiative capitalizes on the current war situation, with the IDF asserting control over significant parts of Gaza.
The history of Gaza settlements includes Israel dismantling 21 settlements in 2005, compelling 8,000 residents to leave. Hamas’ subsequent takeover in 2007 led to a blockade by Israel and Egypt. Housing and Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf and several settler leaders echoed the call for reconstructing Jewish settlements in Gaza during the conference.
Ben Gvir attributed past evacuations to subsequent terrorism and rocket attacks, presenting the return to Gush Katif and northern Samaria as a corrective measure. He advocated for ruling the territory, offering a solution to the humanitarian problem through emigration and endorsing a death penalty law for terror convicts.
The conference drew criticism for its celebratory tone amid the ongoing war, with social media backlash highlighting the apparent disconnect between the festive atmosphere and the grim realities on the ground. Despite dissenting voices, the conference brought together twelve cabinet ministers and fifteen coalition MKs, underscoring the concerted effort to revive the idea of settling Gaza among certain political circles.
{Matzav.com}
