Smotrich Calls for Full Conquest of Gaza
Historic Return to Sa-Nur: Families displaced during the 2005 Disengagement move back to the northern Samaria community as the government signals a strategic shift in settlement policy.
In a defiant political speech delivered today at the renewal ceremony of the Sa-Nur community in northern Samaria, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich laid out a bold vision for the future of the Gaza Strip. Following reports that Hamas rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's disarmament ultimatum, Smotrich urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order an immediate military escalation.
"I call on the Prime Minister to instruct the IDF to prepare immediately for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip," Smotrich declared. "We must establish Israeli control over the entire territory and rebuild Jewish settlements there. History has proven for a hundred years: where the plow passes, there the border and security pass. The war for our rebirth must end with the expansion of Israel's borders."
The Return to Sa-Nur
The ceremony marked a poignant "closing of the circle" for the 16 families who moved into mobile homes in Sa-Nur this morning, accompanied by trucks full of personal belongings, moving in the opposite direction of the 2005 expulsion. Among those returning is the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, who was evacuated from the site as a young man and vowed to return. Dagan emotionally recited the blessing of "the restorer of the widow's boundary" as he cut the ribbon at the community's entrance.
Strengthening the Military Presence
The event was attended by senior government officials, including Minister of Defense Israel Katz and Minister Smotrich. During the ceremony, Defense Minister Katz announced a massive strategic plan to bolster the IDF's presence in Judea and Samaria.
Katz revealed a "mega-plan" with an investment of 350 million NIS to relocate and strengthen IDF bases in the region. Key components of the plan include moving the Menashe Brigade headquarters from Ein Shemer to Tel Dothan in northern Samaria. Katz, who started his own military service as a paratrooper at the Sa-Nur base, emphasized that these moves are essential for long-term security. "We promised security to the residents, and that is exactly what we will provide," the Defense Minister stated.