Smotrich: Without us in the cabinet, the war on Gaza would have ended earlier

The war on Gaza would have ended long ago if right-wing members of Israel’s government weren’t in the cabinet, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said yesterday.

He reiterated his previous remarks supporting illegal Jewish settlement in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the National Education Conference, organised by the Makor Rishon newspaper and religious institutes affiliated with religious Zionism, Smotrich said: “Without our presence in the cabinet, the war would have stopped some time ago.”

“I don’t recall religious Zionism having such a significant influence on security, the economy, Jewish identity and values in recent years.”

“I believe Jewish settlements should be established in the Gaza Strip, although this is not part of the war’s objectives,” Smotrich said, outlining his proposed settlement plan.

He stressed the need to define the war’s objectives and consider post-war actions as discussions about what happens after the war.

In response to proposals to allow the Palestinian Authority (PA) to manage Gaza’s Rafah border crossing, Smotrich said: “The Palestinian Authority is an entity that supports terrorism, and we will not permit it to enter Gaza.” He added, “There is no agreement to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, as weakening the war’s achievements is strictly prohibited.”

Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza began in October 2023 and has continued until today in spite of repeated calls from the UN and human rights groups for a ceasefire to come into effect immediately. More than 44,800 Palestinians have been killed as a result of its bombing campaign and 106,400 others injured.

Smotrich supports the establishment of “Greater Israel” and in March 2023 gave an address while standing behind a map of the area, which includes Jordan, parts of Syria and southern Lebanon.

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