Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday declared that the rebuilding of Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip was now “closer than ever,” outlining a vision for a plan even larger than previous efforts. “This is a realistic work plan,” he stated.
Speaking at a conference organized by the Gush Katif Heritage Center, Smotrich stressed that the sacrifices made by Israel during the war against the Hamas terrorist group were not intended “just to hand Gaza from one Arab to another.” He called the coastal enclave “an inseparable part of the Land of Israel.”
“I don’t want to go back to Gush Katif — that’s too small,” he continued. “It needs to be much bigger. Today, Gaza allows us to think on a much larger scale.”
Smotrich, who also chairs the Religious Zionism Party and plays a key role in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious-right coalition, has consistently advocated for a significant Israeli presence in Gaza, arguing that any security plan must provide for “the security annexation of the Strip.”
The minister reportedly stated on July 22 that Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir supported the idea of annexing parts of the Gaza Strip for security purposes.
While Smotrich did not specify whether Zamir endorsed civilian resettlement, he emphasized that military control and sovereignty would be essential for security. The Israel Defense Forces’ Spokesperson’s Unit refused to comment on Zamir’s alleged remarks.
Gush Katif was a cluster of 17 Israeli communities situated in the southern Gaza Strip. Established after 1968, the region became recognized for its advanced agricultural initiatives and close-knit population. In August 2005, as part of Israel’s disengagement plan, the government evacuated approximately 8,600 Jewish residents and dismantled the community’s homes and infrastructure.
Twenty-two members of Knesset and government ministers have asked Defense Minister Israel Katz to approve a “civilian tour” of the northern Gaza border on Tuesday as part of an event marking 20 years since the disengagement, according to Israel’s Channel 12 News broadcaster.
The MKs and ministers requested that Katz approve an inspection of the area, which previously included three Jewish communities—Nissanit, Dugit and Eli Sinai— evacuated in 2005 along with Gush Katif towns.
“This is an area under full IDF control, empty of Gazan population and without security restrictions,” the letter to Katz noted, per Channel 12.
Among those who signed the missive are Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Social Equality Minister May Golan and Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar (Likud), along with all ministers and MKs of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party.
