Smotrich Again Calls For Reduction of Half of Gaza’s Population

Settler activists dance at a conference calling for the establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza, close to the Israel-Gaza border, October 21, 2024. (Jeremy Sharon/Times of Israel)
Settler activists dance at a conference calling for the establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza, close to the Israel-Gaza border, October 21, 2024. (Jeremy Sharon/Times of Israel)
TT
20

Smotrich Again Calls For Reduction of Half of Gaza’s Population

Settler activists dance at a conference calling for the establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza, close to the Israel-Gaza border, October 21, 2024. (Jeremy Sharon/Times of Israel)
Settler activists dance at a conference calling for the establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza, close to the Israel-Gaza border, October 21, 2024. (Jeremy Sharon/Times of Israel)

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday again called for the occupation of the Gaza Strip and the reduction of its Palestinian population “by half within two years,” raising concerns about the presence of similar plans.
Speaking at a conference organized by the Yesha Council, an umbrella group representing Israeli municipalities in the West Bank, Smotrich said that “it is possible to create a situation where Gaza’s population will be reduced to half its current size in two years.”
“It won’t cost too much money. Even if it does, we should not be afraid to pay for it,” he added.
Smotrich’s calls for the occupation of Gaza are not new. However, they reflect the unstated goals of the current war in Gaza, including a prolonged occupation, military rule and rebuilding of settlements.
Israel continues to announce that its goals of the Gaza war are the “elimination of Hamas” and “returning of the captives.” However, developments in Tel Aviv and the Gaza Strip do not support such claims.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet announced a plan for the post-war phase in Gaza, where Israel is working to deepen its control by expanding the axes it holds and establishing permanent military outposts.
Meanwhile, Smotrich’s speech revealed that the minister is setting a budget for the occupation of Gaza.
He said that “Occupying Gaza is not a dirty word.”
“If the cost of security control is 5 billion shekels ($1.37 billion), I will accept it with open arms. If that is what it takes to ensure the security of Israel, then so be it,” the Minister added.
He appeared to be referencing concerns raised by members of Israel’s security establishment along with Treasury officials who have warned about the massive implications that occupying Gaza would have on Israel’s economy.
Smotrich insisted that the only way to defeat Hamas is to replace its governing capabilities in Gaza and that Israel is the only party that can do so, even if that means making the Israeli Army responsible for managing the civilian affairs of Palestinians in Gaza.
Smotrich claimed that once the success of “encouraged migration” is proven in Gaza, it can be replicated in the West Bank, where another three million Palestinians live.
The Religious Zionism party chairman has long spoken in favor of annexing large parts of the West Bank and declared earlier this month that US President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory offers an opportunity to see that vision through.
Smotrich was one of several government ministers who attended an event last month calling for the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza.
Ahead of his attendance at the conference, Smotrich said that territory relinquished by Israel in the past had turned into “Iranian forward terror bases,” and endangered the country.
But is Smotrich capable of reoccupying and rebuilding settlements in Gaza? For many Israelis, the matter depends on how the war in the Strip ends.
In an article published by The Times of Israel, Eran Hildesheim accused Smotrich of trying to convince the public of a new narrative that if Israel achieves its goals in the war and defeats its enemies, peace and security will return to the region.
The author said this narrative aims primarily to prepare the public opinion that the war should continue, while at the same time promoting the vision of rebuilding settlements in the Gaza Strip.
According to Hildesheim, “the end of the war, as Smotrich put it, implies a large land seizure in the Gaza Strip.”
In the first phase, the minister said the army would distribute food to the population.
Later, Smotrich plans a full military rule to directly manage the lives of the Palestinian population. The ultimate goal of this plan is to rebuild settlements in the Gaza Strip.
“Smotrich's vision places an unbearably heavy financial burden on Israel,” Hildesheim wrote.
He added that such a plan would cost about NIS 20 billion per year, not taking into account the costs of rebuilding the Strip.
He said while the state does not currently own this amount, Israel will therefore be forced to adopt an “economy based on God’s help” to get out of this situation peacefully.

 



Bushnaf: The Success of UN Initiative in Libya Depends on Int’l Support

Libyan National Security Adviser Ibrahim Bushnaf (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Libyan National Security Adviser Ibrahim Bushnaf (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
20

Bushnaf: The Success of UN Initiative in Libya Depends on Int’l Support

Libyan National Security Adviser Ibrahim Bushnaf (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Libyan National Security Adviser Ibrahim Bushnaf (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Libyan National Security Adviser Ibrahim Bushnaf has linked the success of the advisory committee, formed under the UN initiative to resolve the country’s political crisis and pave the way for long-delayed elections, to the level of international support it receives in countering resistance from certain local factions.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Bushnaf said the committee’s effectiveness depends on various regional developments, emphasizing the influence of recent events.
He praised the 20 committee members selected by the UN mission to propose solutions to disputes over electoral laws, describing them as independent of the conflict’s rival factions and highlighting their academic and professional backgrounds.
Bushnaf also discussed several key issues, including irregular migration, fears of resettlement, and the international community’s stance on Libya. He argued that global powers are still “managing the crisis rather than fully engaging in a solution.”
Citing the United States as an example, he described Washington’s involvement in addressing Libya’s political deadlock as "limited, perhaps entirely left to its special envoy and acting ambassador."
He added that the international community, which intervened to help overthrow the previous regime and allowed marginal states to gain significant influence in Libya’s affairs, must now make a concerted effort to end the ongoing conflict.
Libya remains divided between two rival governments: the Tripoli-based interim Government of National Unity, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a parliament-appointed administration headed by Osama Hammad, which controls the east and parts of the south.
As part of efforts to monitor the impact of regional developments on Libya’s security, Bushnaf dismissed reports of Russian weapons being transferred from Syria to Libya as “mere speculation.”
He pointed to Moscow’s official statement that it had begun talks with Syria’s new leadership on renewing agreements for its military bases there.
Bushnaf also addressed a proposal by Libyan Presidential Council member Moussa Al-Koni to revert to a three-region system as a way to break the political deadlock and end the country’s division.
He noted that while government positions are already distributed based on regional quotas, “this remains an individual viewpoint that has not gained widespread public support.”
Reaffirming the National Security Council’s stance, Bushnaf stressed that Libya “has always been and will remain a unified state,” emphasizing the need for a lasting political solution rather than temporary stabilization efforts.