2024-01-02 00:52:47
D er Spiegel reports that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has expressed support for the idea of settling Israeli citizens in the Gaza Strip following the conflicts. Smotrich, known for his right-wing extremist positions, said in a radio interview with the Israeli military broadcaster that if Israel acts appropriately, a Palestinian exodus could occur, allowing Israelis to settle in the Gaza Strip. He also suggested that an Arab population reduced to 100,000-200,000 people would radically change the situation.
Egypt and Jordan have expressed concerns about a potential mass exodus from the Gaza Strip, refusing to accept refugees. These concerns are linked to the fear of a permanent displacement of the Palestinian population. Smotrich is an ardent supporter of the concept of a “Greater Israel” and promotes the annexation of the occupied West Bank. The Palestinians, by contrast, claim the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem as part of their future state. Israel conquered these territories in 1967, but withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, evacuating more than 20 settlements.
According to the United Nations, the Gaza Strip is still considered Israeli-occupied territory, as Israel controls all entry points except for one border crossing. Israel maintains that the occupation ended with the withdrawal of troops in 2005. The United States strongly opposes an Israeli reoccupation of the Gaza Strip and the forced displacement of the 2.2 million Palestinians who reside there. The US hopes that a reformed Palestinian Authority will take control of the Gaza Strip after the conflict. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expects the army to maintain control of security even after the conflict and calls for the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.
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