12 ministers, 15 coalition MKs attend conference calling for Jewish settlements in Gaza

Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter

Hundreds of settler activists attend the 'Settlements Bring Security' conference in Jerusalem, January 28, 2024. (Jeremy Sharon/ The Times of Israel)
Hundreds of settler activists attend the 'Settlements Bring Security' conference in Jerusalem, January 28, 2024. (Jeremy Sharon/ The Times of Israel)

Twelve cabinet ministers and 15 additional coalition MKs are attending the resettle Gaza conference in Jerusalem, organizers say, including Religious Zionism leader Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Otzma Yehudit leader National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and Likud ministers Miki Zohar, Haim Katz, Idit Silman, May Golan, Shlomo Karhi and Amichai Chikli.

The entire Otzma Yehudit Knesset faction is also present, led by party leader Ben Gvir, while far-right religious leaders including the influential Rabbi Dov Lior are also in attendance.

Organizers say 5,000 people are in attendance.

The crowd is overwhelmingly from the religious-Zionism community. Hundreds of youths, as well as many families along with their young children, are among those participating in the conference, which is calling for the revival of Jewish settlements in Gaza.

The conference is entitled “Settlements Bring Security” and the International Convention Center where it is being held is replete with banners and posters advocating for reconstructing the settlements.

Israel dismantled the 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip, and compelled their 8,000 residents to leave, when it unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005, pulling back to the pre-1967 lines. Hamas violently ousted the Fatah faction of the PA and seized power in Gaza in 2007.

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