Smotrich: "Gaza is an integral part of the Land of Israel, and we will not transfer it from one Arab to another."

Israeli Finance Minister and Religious Zionism Party leader Bezalel Smotrich reiterated on Tuesday his call for settlements in the Gaza Strip, which he described as "an integral part of the Land of Israel."

Smotrich's remarks came during a conference held by the Gush Katif Heritage Center to mark the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Gaza disengagement plan.

Smotrich said, "We have been saying for 20 years that this is a wish, and now this is also a realistic plan of action. We did not sacrifice these prices to transfer Gaza from one Arab to another. Gaza is an integral part of the Land of Israel."

Smotrich added, "I don't want to return to Gush Katif (the former settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip). It's too small. This (settlement) should be much bigger and much wider. Gaza allows for big thinking."

He continued, "No one in the world will allow us to wage war and eliminate Hamas and the threat posed by Gaza if we starve two million citizens."

Smotrich addressed the situation in the occupied West Bank, saying, "We are carrying out a revolution there. We are imposing de facto sovereignty, construction through legalization (i.e., the legalization of settlement outposts), confiscations, changing the DNA of the entire regime, and paving roads." He said that the current government will impose official Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.

Smotrich announced yesterday morning that he would not withdraw from the government immediately due to Netanyahu's decision on Saturday to allow aid into the Gaza Strip and a daily ceasefire of several hours.

Smotrich opposes this decision, from which Netanyahu's office claimed that Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir were excluded from and not invited. However, Smotrich said in his statement that "it is not right to make political calculations during a war," adding that "we will be tested according to the results – the defeat of Hamas."

Smotrich continued, "We are advancing a good strategic process, and it's not worthwhile to expand on it now. In a short time, we will know if it was successful and where we are headed."

Smotrich rejected Ben-Gvir's proposal that they work together against Netanyahu and form a "blocking bloc" against negotiations with Hamas over a ceasefire agreement to end the war on Gaza and a prisoner exchange. In this context, Ben-Gvir also sought to persuade rabbis to pressure Netanyahu.

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