The Israeli Right’s “Victory for Israel” Conference was held Sunday in Jerusalem’s International Convention Center with the participation of cabinet ministers, and members of Knesset under the slogan “Only settlements bring security – Returning to Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria,” referring to the efforts to undo the uprooting of settlements from those areas when Israel pulled out in 2005, during the Disengagement Plan.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The Samaria Regional Council, the Nachala Movement Israel, and other bodies organized the conference.
Under the program showcased at the event, several settlements would be established in the Gaza Strip: Yishai “will be built on the outskirts of the devastated town of Beit Hanoun,” “Maoz” on the southern Gaza coast, the “Gates of Gaza” would be in “the destroyed city of Khan Yunis.” There would also be a dedicated area of Haredi settlement called “Hessed La’alafim” south of Rafah.
During remarks by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, several protesters held up signs calling for the forcible displacement of Gaza residents. The minister replied, “We should encourage them to voluntarily leave from here. The mistake in our thinking cost us rape, murder, and plunder,” referring to the Hamas atrocities on Oct. 7.
Video: The conference calling for the resettlement of the Gaza Strip / Yoni Rikner
He added: “Part of the righting of the wrong in our thinking is to go back home to Gush Katif [the pre-2005 Gaza settlements]. We need to go back home because that’s the Torah, that’s historical justice and that’s what’s right. Today everyone understands that running away [from territory] brings war. We need to go back home and control the territory. We must also offer incentives for migration and legislation to allow capital punishment for terrorists. To execute them, one after the other, Nuchba terrorist after Nuchba terrorist, we must encourage them [the Gazans] to leave.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich took the stage right after Ben-Gvir and said the following: “The resilience and determination of the homefront are the keys to victory in war. The people of Israel are at an important crossroads. We must decide whether to flee from terror or learn the lesson and settle the land all over. Without settlement, there is no security. We cried out back then, ‘Don’t give them guns’ and they did not listen to us. We knew what it would lead to and we tried to prevent it. Unfortunately, we received a painful blow, but we are rising back up. We have a nation of lions. Many of the children who were evacuated from Gush Katif returned there as fighters. We must ensure that they return as settlers. With eternal victory, God willing, we will be victorious.”
Tourism Minister Haim Katz represented Likud on stage, saying: “I am the son of parents who survived Auschwitz and made the decision to immigrate to the Land of Israel and build the country…Today we have the opportunity to get up and build, renew, and expand the Land of Israel. With spirit and faith, we will do it. For us this is the championship, there is no rerun, no extra time. Now together we will do and we will win.” At the end of Katz’s statement, rabbis, members of Knesset and ministers ascended the stage in order to sign the “Victory Pact and Renewal of Settlement in the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria Region.”
Construction Minister Goldknopf, who reviewed the map of the planned settlements, said: “The entire Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. Everyone sees how the security situation has worsened since the Disengagement Plan…I will support correcting the terrible injustice and returning to Gush Katif and Gaza area. This will be seared into the collective consciousness of our enemy. No doubt renewing the Jewish settlement will correct a historical injustice. If the government of Israel makes such a decision I will act as minister of construction to implement the decision and renew our days as of old.”
The conference was opened by Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, who said: “Everyone understands, only settlements will bring security.” Nachala Movement Israel chairman Daniella Weiss added: “The only true victory in this war will be to return to our forefathers’ lands.”
Daniela Weiss, Chairman of Nahala Movement: “In historic moments like the one we are currently in, we need to ignore all the background noise and understand what we really need to do, what our vision is, and where we want to aim. The only true victory in this war will be to return to our ancestral homeland. In the city of Gaza Jewish settlement was present for most of our history since the Exodus from Egypt. We need to understand that it is in our hands, and not to surrender to dictates and pressures.”
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid strongly opposed the conference, writing on social media: “The most damaging government in the state’s history is reaching a new low tonight…This is international damage, damage to a possible deal, it endangers IDF fighters, and it is terribly irresponsible. Netanyahu is unfit, this government is unfit.”
The conference was attended by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism), Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf (United Torah Judaism), National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit), Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar (Likud), Tourism Minister Haim Katz (Likud), Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism Minister Amichai Shikli (Likud), Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit), Settlement Affairs and National Missions Minister Orit Strock (Religious Zionism), Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman (Likud), Social Equality and Women’s Advancement Minister May Golan (Likud), Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu (Otzma Yehudit).
There were also a whole host of right-wing MKs.
In addition, the conference was attended by families of Hamas-held captives, bereaved families, Gaza border community residents, Gaza area settlement groups, and a large audience who came to support the initiative.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom’s daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
