Far-right Israeli ministers from Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party attended a conference on resettlement in Gaza, where National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Israelis must “find a legal way for Palestinians to emigrate voluntarily.” The Haaretz newspaper reported on it.
The conference in Jerusalem was attended by thousands of people, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as well as other members of the Knesset and coalition government, rabbis, settlement activists and families of soldiers fighting in Gaza. In his speech, Ben Gvir said: “If we don’t want another October 7th, we must return home and control Gaza. We must find a legal way to encourage Palestinians to voluntarily emigrate and impose death sentences on terrorists… I appeal to you, Prime Minister Netanyahu: This is the time for bold decisions.”
Members of the Likud party, who have spoken openly about Palestinian “voluntary emigration” since the start of the war, returned to the issue at the conference. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said that in war, “volunteering is sometimes a condition that imposes itself on someone until they give their consent.” Tourism Minister Haim Katz said: “Today, 18 years after the withdrawal from Gaza, we have the opportunity to leave the country “Rebuild and expand Israel.” This is our last chance.”