Finance Minister and Chairman of the Religious Zionism party Bezalel Smotrich 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 guarantee Israel’s security and victory.
Smotrich also called on the cabinet to institute a permanent presence of the IDF in the entire Gaza Strip and take full control of the territory. He stated, “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 Philadelphi Corridor 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.”
Israel’s northern border
Regarding the northern border with Lebanon, Smotrich 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.”
Should Hezbollah continue to fire after such an ultimatum, Smotrich stated that the IDF should launch a defensive attack deep in Lebanese territory, including a ground entry and an Israeli military takeover of southern Lebanon.
In response to Smotrich’s statements, Yisrael Beytenu MK Avigdor Liberman asked which IDF soldiers would be fulfilling these duties.
לידיעת השר סמוטריץ׳, כבר לפני מספר חודשים ממשלת ישראל הייתה צריכה להיערך ליצירת רצועת ביטחון בדרום לבנון, השאלה הנשאלת כעת היא מי בדיוק הכוחות שיעשו זאת? המילואימניקים שמעל שבעה חודשים במילואים, או חיילי הסדיר שלא ראו בית כי אין סד״כ? קודם תקדם גיוס לכולם ואח״כ תדבר.
— אביגדור ליברמן (@AvigdorLiberman) May 19, 2024
“For Minister Smotrich’s information, the Israeli government should have prepared to create a security zone in southern Lebanon several months ago. The question now is, who exactly will be the forces to do this? The reservists who have been on duty for over seven months, or the regular soldiers who haven’t seen home because there aren’t enough troops?”
Liberman concluded, “First, promote recruitment for everyone, and then talk,” referring to the ongoing issue of the exemption of Haredim from the military draft.
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