Israeli soldiers smuggle settlement fanatic to Gaza for examination
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Israeli media report that Israeli occupation forces smuggled an extremist pro-settlement leader into the Gaza Strip to "survey" settlement options and expand into the Palestinian territories.
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Far-right Israeli settler Daniella Weiss takes part in a march in Sderot, southern occupied Palestine, Tuesday, May 14, 2024 (AP)
Israeli soldiers reportedly facilitated the illegal entry of Daniella Weiss, a prominent far-right pro-settler leader, into Gaza last week, bypassing military protocols to survey potential sites for Israeli settlements, according to reports by the Kan public broadcaster.
Weiss, head of the far-right Nachala settlement movement, toured the Israeli-controlled side of the Gaza border fence on November 13 before crossing into the Strip under unclear circumstances.
Near the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, Weiss reportedly contacted soldiers she knew, who sent a vehicle to transport her and her group to the site of Netzarim, a former settlement dismantled in 2005 after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
After the survey, the group exited Gaza through an unofficial route to avoid detection by security forces. The incident reportedly took place without the knowledge or approval of senior military officials.
The Israeli occupation forces, responding to the report, stated, "Weiss's entrance into the Gaza Strip is unknown and was not approved through proper avenues. If the incident took place, it is illegal and against protocol, and will be handled accordingly."
Weiss defended her actions in an interview with Kan, describing her strategy of using military presence to gradually establish settler outposts.
She stated that her group was ready to resettle in Gaza as soon as the opportunity arose, saying, "We're no longer preparing to enter; the moment we can enter — we enter." She added that if enough settlers arrived simultaneously, the army would struggle to remove them.
At an October conference, Weiss announced that Nachala had organized six settlement groups comprising 700 families ready to settle in Gaza. She also expressed support for the expulsion of Gaza's two million Palestinians to facilitate these plans.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any plans to resettle Gaza, some members of his pro-settler coalition and his Likud party have voiced support for the idea.
In December last year, Israeli Minister Amichai Chikli did not rule out the possibility of establishing Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, particularly in areas deemed sensible, according to Israeli media.
The incident involving Weiss has drawn attention to lapses in military oversight, particularly in controlling civilian access to conflict zones.
This comes amid another high-profile case involving the unauthorized entry of a settler into a combat area. On Wednesday, 71-year-old amateur archaeologist Zeev Erlich was killed in southern Lebanon after joining a Golani battalion to visit an ancient fortress amid the Israeli invasion of the area.
Col. Yoav Yarom, the chief of staff of the Golani Brigade, had facilitated Erlich's entry, bypassing required authorization. Believing the site to be secure, Yarom and Erlich toured the area before coming under fire from the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. Erlich and 20-year-old Sgt. Gur Kehati were killed in the ambush, and Yarom was injured.
Gaza population not to stay
Weiss back in October said Gaza’s population must leave the territory, claiming that Palestinians in the besieged Strip have "lost their right" to reside there following the October 7 events, The Times of Israel reported.
"October 7 changed history" and therefore, the people of Gaza "lost their right to be here, they will not stay here, they will go to different countries, we will convince the world," she said.
At an event calling for the reoccupation of Gaza, attended by Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, she confirmed that the conference's aim is to "settle the entire Gaza Strip, from north to south, not just part of it."
Weiss, a long-time advocate for Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, also confirmed that Nachala has already organized six "settlement groups" made up of 700 families "ready right now" to establish new settlements in the Gaza Strip.
"Soon these families will be able to enjoy the Gaza coast," she added.
