Ahead of conference on reviving Jewish settlement in Gaza, PM says he opposes idea and government does not back it

Asked about Gaza after the war, Netanyahu repeats that “we will destroy the Hamas leadership,” and its military and civilian capacities will be destroyed. After that, “a different” kind of governance, a non-terrorist administration, will need to be constructed in Gaza.

He is asked about tomorrow’s conference being held in Jerusalem on reviving Jewish settlement in Gaza, at which some ministers and MKs from his coalition will appear.

He says MKs and ministers are allowed to speak their minds but Israel’s policy on “day after” Gaza was set by the full cabinet, which is the body authorized to make such decisions, and that no decision [to resettle Gaza] has been made. His opposition to revived Jewish settlement in Gaza “has not changed,” he says.

He is asked how people sending their loved ones to the IDF should feel about the government funding organizations that help some Israelis avoid army service.

“Another biased, unfair, inaccurate question,” Netanyahu retorts. He says other political parties have been ready to allow the ultra-Orthodox not to serve in the IDF when seeking to woo the support of ultra-Orthodox parties.

“I’ve seen Haredim in their masses volunteering,” he says, for the harrowing work of collecting bodies [in organizations such as ZAKA] and “helping in any way they can.” Some are joining the army, he notes.

Again turning on the reporter, Netanyahu accuses him of trying to spread division in Israel. He says Israel has been unified, “a great achievement,” and the reporter is trying to undo that unity.

He also says the government is funding theaters that put on productions that say terrible things about the State of Israel. “They define us… with definitions close to accusing us of being Nazis. I think that is divisive too. But we haven’t bothered to fix that.”

He repeats: “Again, I’ll deal with destroying Hamas, and you run the war against me.”