Karhi, Smotrich call on public to rally for resettling Gaza, expelling Palestinians

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

Thousands of people turn out for an ultra-nationalist march and rally in Sderot to call for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in Gaza, May 14, 2024. (Courtesy Nachala Settlement Movement)
Thousands of people turn out for an ultra-nationalist march and rally in Sderot to call for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in Gaza, May 14, 2024. (Courtesy Nachala Settlement Movement)

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi of the Likud party calls for the forced expulsion of the Gazan population in a video promoting a right-wing rally by ultranationalist groups calling for the occupation of the Gaza Strip, the expulsion of the Palestinian population and the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in the territory.

“We have a historic opportunity in which the US president supports eliminating Hamas and the deportation of Gazans outside of the Gaza Strip,” says Karhi.

“We have already said a year ago ‘you force him until he says I want to.’ Occupy, deport, settle, bring total victory, God willing,” says the cabinet minister, and calls on the public to attend the rally.

The rally, scheduled for Thursday evening in Jerusalem, is being organized by the ultranationalist Nachala organization, which promotes the construction of settlements and illegal outposts in the West Bank and, since the early months of the war following October 7, the establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza as well.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also backs the rally in his own video, saying Israel will renew its war against Hamas and occupy Gaza.

“The people of Israel are coming to support and demand victory and triumph, we are not stopping midway, we’re going back, striking the enemy, smashing Hamas, occupying the Gaza Strip, removing its threat to Israeli citizens, returning to fight, until victory,” says the finance minister.

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