Israel’s finance minister openly challenges President Trump’s Gaza plan, calling for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip, promote Arab emigration, and Jewish resettlement.
By World Israel News Staff
A senior Israeli government minister openly rejected President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan on Monday, marking a rare public split between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition and the Trump administration.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the establishment of the new town of Yatziv in the Gush Etzion area south of Jerusalem, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionist Party) called for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip, promote mass Arab migration out of the area, and resettle the Strip.
“Mr. Prime Minister, it’s either us or them,” Smotrich said. “Either full Israeli control, the destruction of Hamas and the continued suppression of terrorism over time, encouraging the enemy to emigrate outwards and permanent Israeli settlement — or, God forbid, the squandering of the war’s efforts and costs, and waiting for the next round.”
“Open the Rafah crossing with or without Egyptian consent and allow Gaza’s residents to leave it and seek their future elsewhere, where they will not endanger the future of our children.”
Smotrich distanced himself not only from the Trump administration’s Gaza plan, but also called for the removal of an American army facility in southern Israel used to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza and oversee the transfer of aid into the coastal enclave.
“We must explain to [Trump] that his plan is bad for the State of Israel and cancel it. Gaza is ours, and its future will affect our future more than that of anyone else. Therefore, we are taking responsibility for what happens there, imposing military rule, and completing the mission.”
“The time has come to dismantle the headquarters in Kiryat Gat, to remove from there countries like Egypt and Britain that are hostile to Israel and undermine its security, to present Hamas with a very short ultimatum for real disarmament and deportation, and immediately upon its expiration to storm Gaza with full force and destroy Hamas militarily and civilly.”
The minister was careful not to attack President Trump personally, thanking him for securing the return of all the remaining living hostages, and the bodies of all but one of the slain captives.
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