Threatening to challenge the coalition:
Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gabir, today (Monday) sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following last night's announcement that the IDF had decided to change the opening fire instructions in the area of the security strip established across the border line in the northern Gaza Strip. As part of the change, it was prohibited IDF soldiers must shoot at Gazans approaching a short distance from the fence with Israel, including those suspected of being terrorists.
The prohibition also includes shooting at a distance - this is in contrast to the decision made at the beginning of the war, according to which shots will be fired at anyone who approaches the territory of the security strip at a distance of a kilometer from the border.
Ben Gvir states in the letter that he contacted the Prime Minister's military secretary, General Avi Gil, who denied the statements to him, "but since then, more and more testimonies from soldiers have been published that verify the publication, and the PM also intends to conduct an investigation and go down to the field and hear the factual truth from the soldiers' mouths." .
Minister Ben Gabir and Prime Minister Netanyahu (archive), photo: Oren Ben Hakon
In light of this, Minister Ben Gabir adds and writes to the Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, that "as far as these things are true, this is a promiscuous and foolish directive, which indicates that there are those who have not yet sobered up from the dangerous concept that brought us to the Shevah massacre in October. The things must be said in the most clear and decisive way: the opening instructions With the existing fire, endangering the fighters, and bringing closer the next massacre of the residents of the Gaza Strip and the south."
Minister Ben Gabir signed his letter: "Mr. Prime Minister, you are responsible for the conduct of the hostilities. As long as the publication is correct, I demand of you - immediately order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff to allow the IDF forces to shoot anyone who enters the territory of the security strip, and to cancel immediately the promiscuous and delusional instructions that exist, and make it clear with your voice that anyone who tries to approach the fence - is a son of death."
The minister added: "If this is not done, and it turns out that the publications are indeed true, God forbid, this will have very clear consequences for the continued functioning of the coalition - risking the lives of IDF soldiers and residents of the south in such a tangible way is a red line for us, and I have no doubt that in light of your clear statements, you will see Eye to eye the things with us."
Minister Ben Gabir at a conference to encourage Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, photo: Israel Hayom
"Encouraging immigration, this is the order of the hour", Samtorich: a military government should be established in Gaza
Throughout the day, in the shadow of the sharp criticism leveled at the "Otzma Yehudit" gathering last night (Sunday) to encourage Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, he said: "I hear the hypocrisy festival of those who attack us. I tell Lapid, don't preach to us, we offer a correct solution , rational and real and we will repeat it again and again: encouraging immigration, this is the order of the hour. The right solution is that we return home: to Gush Katif and to the entire Gaza Strip."
Also at the meeting of the religious Zionist faction, Minister Semtorich said on the subject: "We have already seen the terrible folly of the deportation and disengagement from the Gaza Strip. There is no vacuum as soon as we leave and the IDF forces leave, then terrorism enters.
Therefore, the only way to ensure our long-term control of the territory is through the establishment of a military government that will control Gaza, oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid and will not allow the civilian elements of Hamas to return and rule there, until a local leadership is established that renounces terrorism and can handle the civil issues of the residents of Gaza.
It's either us or Hamas."
Evacuation of Gush Katif in 2005, photo: Reuters
At the yeshiva, Semtorich detailed the definition of the role of the military government that he believes should be led in the Gaza Strip: "The military government will also be able to give the answer regarding the issue of humanitarian aid, because right now those humanitarian aid trucks end up reaching the people of Hamas and this strengthens them, gives them the power in front of the population the civilian government and gives them control over the territory and the way to prevent this is through the supervision of the military government. Another thing that the military government should do is expel the UNRA personnel from the Gaza Strip.
Now everyone knows that their employees were part of the October 7 terrorist attack.
We found ammunition, weapons and tunnel shafts in all of UNRA's facilities in Gaza. And not only from the Gaza Strip, UNRA should be removed from Judea and Samaria as well as from Jerusalem.
UNRA are supporters of terrorism whose goal is to harm the State of Israel. I intend to bring this up for discussion at the upcoming cabinet meeting.
I hear people say that the idea of a military government is extreme and delusional just like they said about me when I demanded that the IDF enter Gaza on the ground to eliminate the terrorist threat facing us, and unfortunately we did so only after the painful blow we received on October 7th, even so now in the end everyone They will understand that this is the only way to continue and create security control in the area. And this alongside a systemic solution for the future of the Gaza Strip by enabling the migration of hundreds of thousands of Arab refugees who are begging to leave Gaza to other places in the world where they can live in security."
IDF fighters in the Gaza Strip, photo: IDF Spokesperson
Regarding the lawsuit filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague regarding the conduct of the hostilities, Semtorich said: "Unfortunately, the State of Israel made a mistake in deciding to participate in the Festival of Hypocrisy in The Hague, and sent Prof. Aharon Barak there, who both failed in his role and voted against the State of Israel in some sections. I call on all the states who sent their judges to The Hague and expressed concern for the safety of the refugees in Gaza, instead of preaching to us about the treatment of refugees, prove that they are really important to you and open your gates to take in those refugees from Gaza."
Smotrich: We will not agree to the current deal for the release of the kidnapped
Also, in light of the discussion going on in recent days that reviews negotiations for a deal to release hostages from Hamas captivity, Smotrich said: "Regarding the hostage deal, we constantly hear reports in the media about the actual agreement to stop the war in the first phase for two months. This means the loss of all the achievements which we achieved with the blood of our fighters, and will allow Hamas to regain control of the territory and in fact this will endanger the possibility of the residents of the south returning to their homes and endanger the safety and security of all residents of the State of Israel. The release of the mass terrorists will make all the Jews of the country and the world a target for kidnappings and therefore we will never agree to such a bad deal , period".
The political summit that discussed the deal for the release of the hostages in Paris (yesterday), photo: Haim Tsekh, Reuters
"Finally, along with security control, we must also renew the settlement in the Gaza Strip because there is no security without settlement, and it is not possible to create a military presence in the field without civilian life," Smotrich added.
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