Israeli Minister Smotrich: War Will Only End After Mass Displacement in Gaza, Syria’s Collapse, and Iran’s Nuclear Disarmament
Smotrich Outlines Extreme War Goals Including Forced Palestinian Exodus and Regional Redraw Amid Ongoing Israeli Offensives.
Watan-Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared on Tuesday that Tel Aviv will not end the war until “hundreds of thousands” of Palestinians are displaced from Gaza, Syria is fragmented, and Iran is stripped of its nuclear capabilities.
His remarks came during a speech at the “Eli” settlement in the central West Bank, shared on his account on the “X” platform.
Smotrich stated: “We will end this campaign when Syria is dismantled, Hezbollah (Lebanon) is defeated, Iran is stripped of its nuclear threat, Gaza is cleansed of Hamas, hundreds of thousands of its residents leave for other countries, and our hostages either return to their homes or are buried in the graves of Israel. Only then will the State of Israel become stronger and more prosperous.”
He claimed that these goals represent the consensus of Israelis, not just the government, adding: “This is the final vision of the campaign imposed on us. This is the mission facing us against a brutal enemy, and it reflects the will of our hundreds of thousands of fighters.”
Smotrich Calls on Netanyahu to Seize Historic Moment Amid Expanding Israeli Wars
Addressing Prime Minister Netanyahu, Smotrich urged: “Mr. Prime Minister, now is the time to change the history of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The government and all the people will stand behind you and support your decision to do everything necessary to enhance Israel’s security. Neither you nor we have the right to miss this opportunity.”
Backed by American support, Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in more than 170,000 Palestinian casualties, mostly women and children, and over 11,000 missing persons.
Tel Aviv estimates that 59 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
On October 8, 2023, Israel launched an assault on Lebanon that escalated into a full-scale war by September 23, 2024, causing more than 4,000 deaths, nearly 17,000 injuries, and the displacement of about 1.4 million people.
Although the new Syrian administration under President Ahmad Al-Sharaa has not threatened Israel, Tel Aviv has conducted almost daily airstrikes on Syria for months, resulting in civilian deaths and the destruction of Syrian military sites, equipment, and ammunition.
Since 1967, Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Israel expanded its occupation to include the Syrian buffer zone and declared the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement between the two sides.
