Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Thursday that Israel has been quietly discussing plans for the voluntary emigration of Gaza’s population for months, but refrained from openly addressing the issue due to concerns over the Biden administration’s opposition.
In an interview on Ynet's Hebrew-language political podcast "120 and One," Smotrich said discussions on Palestinian emigration were taking place under the radar before U.S. President Donald Trump publicly embraced the idea.
He also reaffirmed that Israel will resume full-scale military operations after the initial phase of the hostage deal, rejected any national recognition of Palestinian sovereignty as part of a potential normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia and hinted at possible tensions with far-right leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has expressed interest in rejoining the government.
Smotrich praised Trump’s backing of the Gaza resettlement proposal, saying it reflects an understanding of Gaza’s severe overpopulation and economic limitations.
"Before the war, every poll in Gaza showed overwhelming numbers of people wanting to emigrate but were blocked from leaving," Smotrich claimed. "Trump understands that the only way to ensure better lives for Gazans is outside of Gaza."
He confirmed reports that Israel had been examining emigration plans for months but avoided openly discussing them during President Joe Biden’s administration to prevent a diplomatic backlash.
"If we had gone public with this under Biden, it could have led to a UN Security Council resolution without an American veto, making it harder to implement," Smotrich said. "We have been preparing various options behind the scenes, and now that Trump has weighed in, his support carries enormous weight."
Smotrich suggested that with the U.S. president's backing, it would be feasible to relocate two million Gazans to other countries, calling it "the only solution that would bring peace and security to Israel while improving economic conditions for Gazans."
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Smotrich reiterated his strong opposition to any Palestinian political recognition as part of a potential Israel-Saudi normalization deal.
"There will be no national, sovereign or collective recognition of any entity other than the State of Israel," he said.
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Hostages Yarden Bibas, Ofer Calderon and Keith Siegel freed from Gaza captivity
(Photo: Eyad BABA / AFP, REUTERS/Ramadan Abed)
He dismissed speculation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was considering such a concession, claiming, "I've had dozens of conversations with him on this. He is not going in that direction."
Smotrich insisted that Israel must resume military operations in Gaza after the first phase of the hostage deal, calling the agreement a dangerous precedent that incentivizes hostage-taking.
"The only way to fix this is by ensuring Hamas is destroyed—militarily, politically and as a governing entity," he said. "We must go back to war if Hamas does not surrender."
He also criticized the handling of humanitarian aid to Gaza, arguing that allowing Hamas to control aid distribution had strengthened the terrorist group financially. "Hamas has received $1.3 billion during this war—it’s a failure," he said, adding that Netanyahu should have forced the military to find alternative distribution mechanisms.
Smotrich implicitly criticized Ben-Gvir, who recently left the government and has hinted at wanting to return.
"I think he made a mistake by leaving," Smotrich said. "You can’t just walk away to save face over a hostage deal and then try to return. If he wants back in, he must do so with responsibility, not as part of a perpetual campaign."
When asked about his future political alignment with Ben-Gvir, Smotrich said, "I’m not comfortable discussing politics in the middle of a war."