Smotrich calls for occupation of Gaza, cutting its population by half

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
Today 04:11

Again, Smotrich details his plans for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians through the "encouragement" of their mass-migration.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, right, arrive to attend a cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, on February 23, 2023. (AP)

Israeli Finance Minister and extremist Bezalel Smotrich said that "Israel" should occupy Gaza and reduce its population by half within two years.

Smotrich spoke at a conference organized by the Yesha Council, which represents illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, where he made another set of remarks encouraging the genocide of the Palestinian people.

"It is possible to create a situation where Gaza’s population will be reduced to half its current size in two years," the Israeli minister stated.

Smotrich spoke in reference to a plan based on financial incentives that would "encourage" Palestinians to move elsewhere. Such policies have been criticized for being masked forms of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing, in which the Israeli regime would make the situation so dire for Palestinians that they would be forced to accept sums of money in exchange for "emigration."

"It won’t cost too much money," Smotrich said, adding that "even if it does, we should not be afraid to pay for it."

Smotrich and other extremists have been staunch supporters of the policy and have supported the re-occupation of the Gaza Strip.

"We can occupy Gaza and thin the population by half within two years," he reiterated.

This is not the first time Smotrich has brought up the idea during the Israeli war on Gaza. Late last year, he reaffirmed the Israeli occupation's expansionist and racist nature.

"What needs to be done in the Gaza Strip is to encourage emigration," Smotrich told the Israeli Army Radio.

"If there are 100,000 or 200,000 Arabs in Gaza and not 2 million Arabs, the entire discussion on the day after will be totally different," he added, further revealing his fascist and genocidal sentiments.

"Most of Israeli society will say 'Why not, it's a nice place, let's make the desert bloom, it doesn't come at anyone's expense'," highlighting the perception that zionists have of Palestinian civilians, who officials have previously described as animals and terrorists.