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Senior Israeli minister pushing to occupy Gaza, encourage voluntary transfer of Palestinians

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says Israel must occupy the Gaza Strip and promote the voluntary transfer of the Palestinian Arab population out of the coastal enclave – and out of Judea and Samaria as well.

By World Israel News Staff

A senior Israeli government minister is pushing for the IDF to impose a lasting military occupation of the Gaza Strip, and for Israel to pursue a policy of voluntary population transfer, encouraging Palestinian Arabs to leave the Gaza Strip.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionist Party) addressed a conference hosted by the Yesha Council – the umbrella organization representing Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria – Monday night, during which he argued that Israel “can and must occupy the Gaza Strip.”

“We don’t need to be scared of this word,” Smotrich continued, referring to the term “occupation,” which has often been used by Israel’s critics to refer to the Jewish state’s presence in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.

Smotrich expressed optimism that after inauguration day on January 20th, Israel will be able to apply sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria, and take Palestinian statehood off of the table.

“A nationalist government in Israel with Trump in the White House will be able to bring a strategic change against our enemies, changing the status of Judea and Samaria and taking the dangerous issue of Palestinian statehood off of the agenda.”

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The minister also called for the government to promote the “voluntary emigration” of Gazans.

“It’s possible to create a situation in which Gaza will have less than half its current population within two years,” Smotrich said, adding that such a policy of voluntary transfer could be pursued also in Judea and Samaria.

Earlier this year, Israeli media outlets reported that the Israeli government is in talks with foreign governments, including the Republic of Congo, to secure destinations willing to receive voluntary Palestinian emigres interested in leaving the Gaza Strip.

“Congo will be willing to take in migrants, and we’re in talks with others,” a senior Israeli official told Zman Israel in January.