Thousands of Israelis, led by religious nationalist members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government gathered in Jerusalem on Sunday at a conference to call for restoring Israeli settlements in Gaza and the transfer of the Palestinians living there.
At the conference, participants were shown detailed maps and plans to rebuild settlements in the territory that Israel withdrew from in 2005, as they called for the government to agree that the only way to fully vanquish Hamas is for Israelis to resettle Gaza.
"If we don't want another October 7, we need to go back home and control [Gaza]. We need to find a legal way to voluntarily emigrate [Palestinians] and impose death sentences on terrorists," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Otzma Yehudit party said in a speech to the conference.
"We are rising, we have a nation of lions [and many children] are returning there as combat fighters. We must make sure they return there as settlers to protect the people of Israel,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionist party, said in his speech.
Israel withdrew all its forces from Gaza and abandoned its settlements there in 2005, after elections in the Palestinian territories and a transfer of local governing power to the Palestinian authorities. When Hamas took power in Gaza in 2007, Israel made its blockade of the enclave permanent, with the support of Egypt, which has also closed its land border with Gaza.
Israel is now facing accusations from South Africa in the International Court of Justice that it is conducting a genocide of Palestinians living in Gaza in order to empty the territory of Palestinians.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party, gave his definition of “voluntary” migration.
In war, Karhi said, "'voluntary' is at times a state you impose until they give their consent.'"
Many attendees said they saw the Gaza War and its aftermath as the last chance for Israel to occupy what they believe were its historic borders in Biblical times.
"Today, after 18 years [from disengagement from Gaza], we have the opportunity to rebuild and expand the land of Israel. This is our final opportunity,” said Likud minister Haim Katz.
In December, an Israeli real estate firm gained instant international notoriety for a social media post promising beachside villas for sale in Gaza. The firm swiftly issued a non-apology apology, saying the whole thing was a joke gone wrong — but insisting it would like to build the homes for Israeli settlers if the government would allow it.
Asked about the conference, Netanyahu said of the attendees, “They are entitled to their opinions.,” and said he has not changed his past position against rebuilding Jewish settlements in Gaza.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the conference "a disgrace on the head of Netanyahu and the party that was once at the center of the national camp and is now being dragged aimlessly after extremists."
Lapid warned that no good could come of advocating for resettling Gaza and expelling its 2.2 million Palestinian residents. "This will cause international damage, undermines potential negotiations, endangers IDF soldiers, and reflects a grave lack of responsibility," Lapid said.
Minister Gadi Eisenkot, a centrist and former top general called the conference "an event that divides Israeli society and increases distrust in the government." Writing on Facebook, Eisenkot said that the participants in the event "have not learned a thing from the events of the past year about the importance of actions [based on] broad national agreement and solidarity in Israeli society."
"Last night's "Resettle Gaza" rally was a fantastical display of pro-settler zealotry. It communicated contempt for Israel's reputation and made a mockery of Biden's attempts to advance a two-state solution,” said Monica Marks, a professor of Middle East Politics at New York University in Abu Dhabi.