Knesset Debates the "Day After" in Gaza: "The People of Israel Will Determine the Reality on the Ground"

Ministers and Members of Knesset from the right wing held a special conference yesterday (Monday) to outline a political roadmap for the future of Gaza following the war. The event was led by MK Simcha Rothman, Chairman of the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, and Beraleh Crombie, Chairman of the Tkuma Movement, with hundreds of participants from the right wing and Religious Zionist community in attendance. The highlight of the conference was a panel of ministers and MKs discussing the "Day After" plan for Gaza.

Minister of Settlements Orit Strock stated during the conference: "This question depends on one thing – whether we acknowledge our land or not. This is the heart of the issue, and it all depends on whether Netanyahu tells Trump, 'Gaza is ours.' In the last cabinet meeting, I presented the Prime Minister with a clause his father inserted into the UN Charter, asserting that Gaza is also ours. Once the people of Israel en masse, alongside leaders capable of leading a great spirit of victory, demand this – it will be easy. Where there is a will, it is easy. This land is ours, and Gaza is no less than Hebron."

MK Simcha Rothman, Chairman of the Constitution Committee, added: "If there is one thing we have learned, it is that not everything depends on Netanyahu, but primarily on the people and the strength they give us. The public must be the one to demand this, and we see that happening here at this conference. There is a fundamental point to understand regarding security and legal matters: when the Right is in power, it swims upstream and carves into rock just to achieve one normal thing. The tragedy of the Israeli Right is that after many years, we succeeded in exposing the 'current' working against us. The public has seen that current and now wants us to swim against it."

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said: "Anyone who looks at the systems and thinks you can just press a button to establish a settlement or resettle Gaza is mistaken. When the Israeli government wanted to conquer Gaza, it faced opposition. Looking at these pressures, I understand there are balances. You don't want to break the system; you want to lead it in the right direction. The push we are giving the government today will eventually lead to Gaza, but it will take time because we must not act hastily and dismantle the systems. If people stand by with a stopwatch, it will only weaken [the effort]."

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli noted during the panel: "The people of Israel will determine the reality on the ground. What was achieved during the war through the blood of our soldiers and immense sacrifice is a very solid foundation for discussing settlement in parts of the Gaza Strip in the future. In my view, we can start with the northern 'footprint' and rebuild the settlements. The Prime Minister is navigating a reality where he is not only facing the audience at this conference, and navigating requires great wisdom. Often, it is precisely the ideological Right that commits follies for which we pay a heavy price. We have a lot of work ahead, but we must first acknowledge the progress made. G-d willing, in the next government, we will lay the cornerstone for settlements in the northern Strip. I believe it will happen."

MK Amit Halevi added: "It is within our power to see Gaza under Israeli control. We must change Hamas's rule, and that depends entirely on us. Many throughout the state systems understand and recognize this. This war has taught us that state institutions require 'healing.' These systems all suffer from deep-seated paradigms and 'conceptions.' There are entire systems that prevented the IDF from fighting. This is a mission of years, and it may take time, but I believe it will happen."