Israeli Finance Minister Calls for Sovereignty in Gaza and Lebanon

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich has called for Israel to assert permanent sovereignty over areas it currently controls in Gaza and Lebanon. Speaking at the National Conservatism Conference in Jerusalem, Smotrich advocated for a paradigm shift in warfare, where a defeated aggressor loses territory to the victor. He argued that establishing Israeli sovereignty in these areas would "burn the price of defeat into our enemies" and ensure long-term deterrence.

Smotrich also proposed a political-humanitarian solution for Gaza, suggesting the encouragement of voluntary migration of its residents to Muslim countries that share their language, religion, and culture. He described the Palestinian national identity as a "fiction" invented in the early 20th century as a counter-movement to Jewish nationalism, asserting that many Gaza residents are descendants of 1948 refugees held hostage to promote Israel's destruction. He rejected the notion that encouraging such migration is racism, framing it instead as a national concept that preserves stability and stated that Western countries should not be expected to absorb these populations.

Addressing international criticism regarding civilian casualties in Gaza, Smotrich dismissed it as a lie, arguing that focusing on individual suffering does not determine the war's justice or morality. He affirmed that Israel would continue to minimize human suffering that does not serve its military objectives.

Furthermore, Smotrich called for a structural change in Israel's relationship with the United States, moving from dependence to an equal partnership between independent nations where Israel takes full responsibility for its security and economy. He also urged strengthening ties with the conservative-nationalist camp in America, highlighting Israel's position as a strategic and values-based asset in the free world.