Finance Minister and Chairman of Religious Zionism Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday called for a permanent presence of the IDF in the entire Gaza Strip, total military occupation of the city of Rafah, and called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to issue an ultimatum to Hezbollah to stop firing on the North.
He made this statement at a party meeting in the North, where he called on Netanyahu to set a long-term security policy that would bring Israel long-term security and victory.
He called on the cabinet to institute a permanent presence of the IDF in the entire Gaza Strip and take full control of the territory. “Instead of discussing withdrawal from the Nitzarim corridor, more outposts and control lines need to be established in the north, center, and south of the Gaza Strip to prevent a situation where Hamas can restore its military infrastructure and civilian control once forces leave.”
He also called for an immediate completion of the operation along the Philadelphia axis and total occupation of the whole city of Rafah. He argues that this “Is to prevent the continued smuggling from Egypt to Hamas and to cut off the lifeline to the terrorists.”
Northern border with Israel
Regarding the northern border with Lebanon, he called on the prime minister to issue an ultimatum to Hezbollah to completely stop firing at northern Israel and to “withdraw all its forces beyond the Litani River.”
If Hezbollah would continue firing after such an ultimatum, Smotrich said the IDF should launch a defensive attack deep in Lebanese territory, including a ground entry and an Israeli military takeover of southern Lebanon.