Israel's Ben-Gvir Eyes Defense Post, Gaza Occupation, West Bank Annexation
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed his desire to become defense minister and called for the occupation of Gaza and annexation of Judea and Samaria in a Time magazine interview. He stated his support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but wants a more right-wing government. Ben-Gvir also discussed his past views on Arabs and defended Netanyahu against criticism for the October 7th failures, blaming intelligence services.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir seeks the defense minister role, Gaza occupation, and West Bank annexation.
- Ben-Gvir supports PM Netanyahu but wants a more right-wing government.
- He advocates for encouraging Palestinian departure from Gaza for security.
- Ben-Gvir calls for official annexation of Judea and Samaria.
- He blamed intelligence failures, not Netanyahu, for the October 7th attack.
- Former Mossad head Efraim Halevy criticized Ben-Gvir as a problem for Israel.
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has outlined his political ambitions in an interview with Time magazine, expressing a desire to become the next defense minister and advocating for the full occupation of Gaza and the annexation of Judea and Samaria. Ben-Gvir stated he supports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remaining in office but wants Netanyahu to depend on right-wing forces to form a more ideologically driven government. He believes he should hold a key position within such a cabinet.
Ben-Gvir's vision for Gaza includes its complete occupation and encouraging the departure of Palestinians, which he claims is necessary for Israeli security. He envisions Gaza potentially becoming a "Riviera" in the future, though he did not specify where displaced Palestinians might relocate. He asserted that Gaza has "always been ours" and that Israel needs to expand.
Regarding Judea and Samaria, Ben-Gvir called for official annexation of the territory, home to approximately 3.3 million Palestinians. He also demanded full Israeli security control and the disarmament of the Palestinian Authority. Ben-Gvir suggested that Palestinian security forces might be preparing for an attack similar to the October 7th events, while still advocating for "voluntary" Palestinian emigration.
In the interview, Ben-Gvir also reflected on his past views, acknowledging that he once supported the deportation of all Arabs but now makes exceptions for those who recognize Israel as a Jewish state and show loyalty. He also defended Netanyahu regarding the failures leading up to the October 7th attacks, attributing them primarily to intelligence and security service errors rather than the Prime Minister's direct responsibility. Former Mossad head Efraim Halevy sharply criticized Ben-Gvir, calling him a source of significant problems for Israel.
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