Majority of Israelis oppose reestablishing settlements in Gaza, despite far-right push
Protesters gather before a bonfire during an anti-government demonstration calling for early elections in Tel Aviv on June 15, 2024. (AFP Photo)
As far-right Israeli lawmakers moved forward with plans to reestablish Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip on Monday, public opinion remains largely against the idea.
A poll conducted by Hebrew University last December found that more than half of Israelis oppose both the annexation of Gaza and the reestablishment of settlements that were uprooted during the 2005 Disengagement.
Every Saturday evening for the past eight months, Israelis have been gathering to support the families of hostages and express their dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Netanyahu, calling for early elections. In the heart of Tel Aviv, crowds continue to flock to “Hostages Square,” where they call for the release of hostages and the resignation of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Despite this opposition, MK Limor Son Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit and MK Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionism party announced the formation of a “Knesset Caucus for the Renewal of Settlement in the Gaza Strip” in a joint release.
The caucus is set to launch on Tuesday and aims to reverse the effects of the 2005 Disengagement, which dismantled Jewish communities in Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank.
Son Har-Melech and Sukkot argue that reestablishing settlements is crucial for Israel’s security. “Only by a dense presence of Jewish settlements throughout Gaza will it be possible to prevent the continuation of terrorist threats and deter the enemy,” they stated.
Sukkot, a former radical settler activist, added, “Only Jewish children playing in the Strip will make the Nova terrorists realize that they have lost.”
However, the sentiment among the Israeli public tells a different story. The December poll reflects widespread skepticism about the benefits of reentering Gaza and reestablishing settlements.
This skepticism is also shared by some members of the government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced his opposition to the idea of Israel governing Palestinians in Gaza after the war.
The push for new settlements in Gaza is not a new concept within certain far-right circles in Israel.
In January, a conference advocating for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in Gaza saw the participation of 11 ministers and 15 coalition lawmakers. This shows a significant faction within the government supports the initiative, despite its unpopularity with the general public.
The 2005 Disengagement saw the evacuation of the Gush Katif settlement bloc and four settlements in the northern West Bank, a move aimed at reducing friction between Israelis and Palestinians. The current far-right initiative seeks to overturn this policy, citing security concerns.
The debate over Gaza’s future is further complicated by a leaked document from Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence, published by the Israeli culture magazine Mekomit. The document outlines a controversial plan to evacuate Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, creating new urban areas there while establishing a closed security zone several kilometers inside Egypt to prevent the return of Palestinians to areas near the Israeli border.
As the Knesset caucus prepares for its launch, the question remains whether the government will align with public opinion or the far-right’s push for renewed settlements in Gaza. The outcome will significantly impact Israel’s security policies and its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians.
