Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed on Tuesday to never to leave all of the Gaza Strip, saying that the IDF will establish military settlements in the enclave’s northern part, only to later walk back the statements.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the signing of an agreement to evacuate the Binyamin Regional Brigade headquarters and build housing units in the Beit El settlement in the West Bank, Katz said: “We are deep inside Gaza and will never leave all of Gaza – that will not happen. We are here to defend and to prevent what happened.”
“When the time is right,” Katz said, “Israel will establish Garinei Nahal in northern Gaza,” referring to a military program in which groups of young Israelis enlist together and later form civilian communities.
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Later on Tuesday, Katz took back his statements, saying that Israel “has no intention of establishing settlements in Gaza.”
Far-right settler group Nachala welcomed Katz’s comments, calling it a “step in the right direction toward returning Jewish settlement in Gaza.”
He added that the military is also operating “inside Lebanon, inside Syria, at the peak of Mount Hermon in the security zone, and inside the terror camps in the West Bank.”
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IDF soldiers in Gaza’s Rafah, last month. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
IDF soldiers in Gaza’s Rafah, last month. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
According to Katz, “The IDF separates – and will continue to separate – jihadist enemies from our communities and residents. We do not rely on anyone, and no one should come and tell us otherwise – there will be no agreement, and we will not move a millimeter in Syria.”