Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu, of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, says Israel “should fully occupy the Gaza Strip” following the war, as he believes the Palestinians are incapable of controlling the territory without turning it into a terror hotbed.
“Anyone who is today selling the idea that [the Palestinians] can go back to running things doesn’t remember what happened on [October 7],” he tells Kan Radio.
Israel removed its forces and settlers from Gaza in 2005, and has since faced repeated attacks from the territory by terror groups. Since the start of the war, Jerusalem has refused to say what it envisions for the Strip once its goal of removing Hamas from power is achieved, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the Palestinian Authority can not be trusted to govern it.
Eliyahu does not say how he envisions Israeli rule either. Asked by the interviewer if Israeli authorities should be overseeing civil affairs, including all that entails, he demures, saying only that the Palestinians cannot do so.
He adds that he wants “to reestablish settlements” in the Strip, but acknowledges that “this isn’t necessarily the time for that.”
Eliyahu previously made headlines in November when he said one of Israel’s options in the war against Hamas could be to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza — comments that were quickly disavowed by Netanyahu, who also suspended the minister from cabinet meetings.
Bridging the US-Israel divide
While the heart of The Times of Israel’s work takes place in Israel, so many of Jerusalem’s actions are influenced by those in Washington’s halls of power.
As ToI’s US bureau chief, I work to gain access to decision-makers in the United States government so our readers can understand the US-Israel relationship beyond the platitudes evident in public statements.
I'm proud of our ability to inform without sensationalizing, our dedication to be fast while ensuring accuracy, and our determination to present Israel's entire, complex story.
Your support through The Times of Israel Community helps us continue to keep readers around the world properly informed about the critical Israel-US relationship. Do you appreciate our news coverage? If so, please join the ToI Community today.
- Jacob Magid, The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Yes, I'll join
Yes, I'll join
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel eleven years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this