Israeli Ministers Advocate for Palestinian Expulsion at 'Resettle Gaza' Conference

On a recent Monday, members of the Israeli Knesset and senior government ministers attended a conference focused on the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. The conference took place in southern Israel, near the Gaza border.

Conference Details and Attendees

The conference, named "Preparing to Resettle Gaza," was organized by the Israeli settler organization Nachala and members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. Ten out of the 32 Likud party members in the Israeli Knesset were scheduled to attend, including May Golan, the minister for Social Equality and the Advancement of the Status of Women.

Speeches and Reactions

During her speech at the rally, Golan promised another “Nakba” for Palestinians in Gaza, referencing the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian Arabs during the formation of modern Israel in 1948. She stated that those who use their land to plan another Holocaust will face another Nakba. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power party, also spoke at the conference. His calls for the execution of Palestinian prisoners were met with chants of support from attendees. Ben Gvir proposed the "voluntary" transfer of all Gazan citizens, offering them the chance to move to other countries.

Proposed Consequences and Reactions

While Ben Gvir and others have presented their plan as voluntary for Palestinians, the Israeli military campaign has rendered most of Gaza uninhabitable. Palestinians in northern Gaza are currently facing Israeli evacuation orders, threatened with death by military action or starvation if they do not move south. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Yitzhak Wasserlauf, the minister for the development of the Negev and Galilee, were among other Israeli ministers who attended the conference.

Settlement Plans

Daniella Weiss, a leader of Nachala, pledged that Jewish settlements would begin appearing in Gaza within a year. She also indicated that her ambitions for Israeli expansion extend beyond Gaza or the West Bank, stating, “The real borders of greater Israel are between the Euphrates River and the Nile.” Reports indicate that the Israeli government is not interested in reviving ceasefire talks with Hamas and is instead pushing for the gradual annexation of large portions of the Gaza Strip.

Bottom Line

This conference and the speeches delivered during it have sparked a significant amount of controversy. The proposed resettlement of Gaza and the potential expulsion of Palestinians is a contentious topic with far-reaching implications. What are your thoughts on this issue? Share this article with your friends and let's discuss. Remember, you can sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.