Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a prominent representative of the far right, said today that Israel must return to the Gaza Strip, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
"Gaza is an integral part of Israel, how do we move on to a concrete plan? "We need to think more to succeed," said Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, at a congress marking the 20th anniversary of the unilateral withdrawal from the Palestinian territory.
The minister, who threatened to resign if Israel again allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza, tried to justify his position a day after aid deliveries to the enclave resumed.
"If I am still in the government despite everything, it is probably because I have good reasons to believe that positive things will happen," he said.
Referring to the 2005 withdrawal, in which Israel evacuated more than 8,000 settlers and its soldiers, the minister asked: "Who could have imagined 20 years ago that Gaza would be what it is today?", after which assumed that the conditions for return and settlement there are already in place.
Several far-right organizations fighting for a return to the Palestinian territory are planning a march to Gaza tomorrow afternoon under the slogan: "20 years later, we are returning to the Gaza Strip".
A plan for the restoration of the settlements was presented to members of the Israeli parliament and ministers at a session last week.
"This is possible and realistic. I am completely optimistic. "To conquer Gaza and populate it as an integral part of the state of Israel and the land of Israel," Smotrich said at the time.
"This is the price that terrorists must pay, and God willing, as quickly as possible", noted the Minister of Development of the Negev and Galilee, Yitzhak Wasserlauf of the "Jewish Power" party.
"Hamas" described Smotrich's statement as "a clear threat to continue the genocide and forced displacement of the Palestinian people."