Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich commented (Monday) on reports about the end of the intensive fighting and the transition to the special operations phase: "The war is not over."
At the beginning of his party's Knesset faction's meeting, the minister noted that, contrary to talk of ending hostilities, the war, according to him, cannot end before the goals are fully achieved: "First of all, the destruction of the political and military capabilities of Hamas and, of course, the return of all the abductees home. This is our duty, this is the duty of the IDF, and this is the defined mission to the fighters."
In the background of the visit of the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Smotrich referred to the State Department's request to release the funds that Israel had stopped transferring to the Palestinian Authority that were intended for the families of the terrorists.
According to the Minister of Finance, "I ask our friend in the USA, is it conceivable that Washington will transfer hundreds of millions of dollars every month to Al Qaeda and from there to the planners and perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attack that caused the brutal murder of thousands of Americans?
Israel also cannot agree to the transfer of money that goes to encourage and support terrorism that murders in cold blood, rapes and decapitates our women and children. And as long as I am the Minister of Finance, not one shekel will go to Gaza, to the Nazi terrorists who are there. A shekel will not be passed. Even if our best friends in the world press and demand. It's a decision, it's a policy, and it's the simple and healthy logic of a nation who desires life."
"This is not a forced deportation, but a humanitarian program"
In his statement, the Minister of Finance also referred to the criticism that was heard towards his position to encourage the migration of Palestinians to outside the Strip: "I want to correct the mistake of the Secretary of State, it is not about forcibly deporting residents, it is about a humanitarian program that will help hundreds of thousands of refugees in Gaza who live in extremely difficult conditions and are begging for the opportunity to move to another place to live with dignity."
According to Smotrich: "Over 70% of Israeli citizens support this solution and we are committed to promoting it. Why does the international community that is concerned about the situation in Gaza not mobilize and open its doors to the refugees? How can it be that the Arab countries that support them are building barbed wire fences to block the passage of the refugees who are begging to leave Gaza?
"I call on the United States and the entire international community to lead a humanitarian effort as they helped refugees from Syria and Ukraine and other countries to provide a real solution to the situation."