Ramallah, MINA – A meeting titled “Gaza Riviera” was held in the Israeli Knesset on Tuesday, initiated by the far-right Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit parties.
Participants of the meeting called for the annexation of the Gaza Strip into Israel, the construction of settlements, and the transformation of the area into a tourist destination, Al-Quds newspaper reported.
Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionism party and Israel’s Finance Minister, stated during the meeting, “We have received a green light from the US president to turn Gaza into a prosperous sector a resort city with employment facilities. This is how we create peace. I believe there is a tremendous opportunity here.”
He added, “We can start with small-scale projects in northern Gaza and think big. We have the ability to relocate Gaza’s residents to other countries, and we are working to achieve this. We will occupy Gaza and make it an integral part of the State of Israel.”
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Smotrich also claimed that Israeli occupation forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told him a week earlier that “we must annex northern Gaza from a security standpoint.”
Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech from Otzma Yehudit, one of the organizers of the meeting, stated that “bringing back settlements to Gaza is not just a dream its time has come. This step is tied to our identity, security, Zionism, and faith.”
She claimed that rebuilding settlements in the Gaza Strip would act as a deterrent and restore security for Israelis, and that the plan must be carried out after all Israeli hostages are returned and “Gaza is rebuilt as a prosperous Jewish city.”
The meeting came a day after a joint statement signed by 25 Western countries including the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Italy, Canada, and Australia called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and the lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid.
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These countries accused the Israeli government of adopting a harmful aid model that worsens the crisis and destabilizes the region.
According to Axios, Israeli Mossad chief David Barnea visited Washington last week seeking support in persuading other countries to accept a plan for the expulsion and resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza.
In a meeting with President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, Barnea informed the US administration that Israel was holding closed-door talks with several countries on the matter.
According to two reliable sources cited by Axios, Witkoff did not commit to the plan, and it remains unclear whether Washington will take an active role in the issue. [Nia]
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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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