Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, November 25, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Monday, November 25, 2024
Urging occupation, Smotrich says ‘voluntary migration’ could halve Gaza’s population in 2 years
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a Knesset faction meeting of his far-right Religious Zionist party, November 11, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says Israel “can and must occupy the Gaza Strip.”
“We don’t need to be scared of this word [occupation],” he tells a meeting of the Yesha Council.
He also calls for Israel to promote “voluntary migration,” so Palestinians will leave Gaza.
“It’s possible to create a situation in which Gaza will have less than half its current population within two years,” Smotrich says.
He also says this “voluntary migration” could serve as a “model” for the West Bank.
