Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that Israel must reestablish a civilian presence in the Gaza Strip but not by returning to Gush Katif, the former bloc of Israeli settlements evacuated in the 2005 Disengagement Plan. "That's too small, too crowded. It needs to be much bigger," he said.
Smotrich was speaking at the National Responsibility Katif Conference, held to mark 20 years since the disengagement. Among the other participants were former Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan and retired Israel Defense Forces Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter.
Reflecting on his past activism, Smotrich recalled his imprisonment during the protests against the disengagement. "Where I am today is largely thanks to the struggle to prevent the expulsion from Gush Katif," he said. "I remember my time in solitary confinement in Prison 7. It gave me time to think, to take responsibility. My life path was shaped by that rupture, and by our duty to turn the pain into growth."
Asked about the possibility of resettling Gush Katif, Smotrich cited National Unity party leader Benny Gantz: "In the early weeks of the war, when he and his colleagues joined the unity government, Gantz said that one of the keys to victory was taking territory away from Hamas and establishing at least three communities there. If Gantz said it, it seems to me that this idea lies within the national consensus. It has long been proven that where there is no settlement, there is no army, and where there is no army, there is no security."
"Gaza is an inseparable part of the Land of Israel," he continued. "We need to think about how to act on this, not just issue declarations. I don't want to go back to Gush Katif. It's too small. It needs to be much larger."
On the issue of the hostages held by Hamas, Smotrich said: "There is disagreement within the government and the security cabinet. My position is well known. Like everyone else, I long to see the hostages back home, but negotiations cause immense damage and encourage more kidnappings. I oppose talks and deals. We should speak to Hamas only through the sights of our planes, tanks and soldiers. I say to the prime minister: Set a deadline and don't return the talks to Doha. We know what's needed to defeat Hamas."
Expanding on the situation in Gaza, Smotrich said, "This is a test of our resolve, our spirit and our will, more important even than Iran. The government's influence now is unprecedented. We are back in Judea and Samaria, drawing lessons from October 7 and from Gush Katif. We are carrying out a revolution there, and we will formally apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria in this term."
On humanitarian aid, Smotrich said: "It must not reach Hamas. There must be no logistical supplies to the enemy, that's my outcry. We need to sever Hamas from the civilian population and strangle it economically. I know I've been mocked and ridiculed in the past 48 hours. But if I'm still in the government, I know there will be good outcomes that justify the mockery. If I fail, I will be held accountable."
