Minister Katz Re-Reverses: There Will Be Jewish Settlements in Northern Gaza

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday reinforced his controversial vision for establishing Nahal pioneer groups in northern Gaza, clarifying that despite earlier walkbacks, he has not abandoned the concept. Speaking at a conference hosted by Makor Rishon, Katz framed the idea as part of Israel’s long-term security posture rather than an immediate political plan, while also offering pointed praise for the current IDF chief of staff that doubled as a rebuke of his predecessor.

Addressing criticism that he had reversed himself after international and domestic backlash, Katz dismissed the charge outright.

“I only reverse while driving,” he said. “The vision I’ve held since the beginning of the war is that in the northern buffer zone there can be Nahal groups. That vision remains.”

Katz said Israel would maintain a “significant security zone” inside Gaza even after Hamas is dismantled, arguing that a permanent Israeli military presence is essential to preventing a repeat of the October 7 attack. Within that framework, he said, the northern part of Gaza could eventually host Nahal units, historically military frameworks that have at times evolved into civilian communities.

His remarks follow a turbulent week in which Katz initially declared at an event in Beit El that Israel would establish Nahal groups in northern Gaza “in place of the settlements that were evacuated” in 2005. Hours later, his office issued a clarification stating that Israel has no intention of rebuilding civilian settlements in Gaza and that any Nahal presence would be “security-related only.”

Despite that clarification, Katz’s comments Wednesday made clear that he views the Nahal model as central to his strategic thinking for Gaza’s future, even if the timing and form remain undefined.

“We are not talking about tomorrow morning,” he said. “But after Phase Two, after Hamas is dismantled, there must be a meaningful security presence. In the north, according to my vision, Nahal groups can be established in an orderly way, at the right time.”

Katz also used the platform to underscore his relationship with the military’s current leadership. Praising Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, he said the government deliberately chose commanders who are aggressive and proactive.

“I prefer galloping horses that charge forward, not ones that need to be prodded,” Katz said.

The comment was widely read as a contrast with former IDF chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, whose tenure during the early stages of the war was marked by strained relations with political leaders and internal debate over strategy.

Katz referenced the recent approval of new commanders for the Air Force and Navy, saying their task is to translate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategic directives into operational plans, including force buildup, target development, and new capabilities tailored to future conflicts.

Behind the scenes, Katz’s remarks have unsettled senior defense officials. Military sources have said the defense minister did not coordinate his Gaza comments with the IDF or the broader security establishment and warned that such statements complicate Israel’s dialogue with Washington at a sensitive moment.

The United States has repeatedly emphasized that it does not support Israeli resettlement of Gaza, and Israeli officials are currently engaged in talks over the next stages of a ceasefire and post-war governance framework.

Katz, however, has framed the moment as one of historic opportunity.

“We are in a period of practical sovereignty,” he said. “There are opportunities now that didn’t exist for a very long time.”

His renewed insistence on the Nahal concept ensures that questions about Israel’s long-term intentions in Gaza, the line between security control and settlement, and the balance between military planning and diplomatic constraints will remain a central and unresolved issue in Israeli politics.