Finance Minister Smotrich Pushes for Immediate Approval to Establish Jewish Settlements in Northern Gaza

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Monday evening that the Settlement Administration within the Defense Ministry has completed the planning phase for establishing three Jewish settlements in the northern area of the Gaza Strip. This announcement followed a meeting with Alon Davidi, the mayor of Sderot, a city near Gaza.

According to Smotrich, the Defense Ministry and the Settlement Administration are ready to proceed immediately with the implementation, pending only the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Smotrich urged the prime minister to give the green light, stating, "We are ready to establish three settlements as soon as we receive approval from the prime minister. I call on him to approve this so we can complete the mission and restore real security to the residents of the south."

Smotrich further emphasized the strategic importance of the move, noting that the Israel Defense Forces currently control nearly 70% of Gaza's territory. He argued that completing the control over the remaining area, defeating Hamas, and establishing a belt of Jewish settlements would provide a security buffer for Sderot and surrounding communities. He warned against returning to the security situation before the October 7 attacks, saying, "Where there is no settlement, there is no security."

Mayor Alon Davidi expressed gratitude to Smotrich for his efforts on behalf of the Gaza envelope communities and echoed the call for continued military and settlement actions to remove threats from the area. He stated, "This is the minimum required for residents to live in security."

The next step depends on Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision on whether to authorize the establishment of these settlements in northern Gaza.