Gaza’s population can be reduced to half, says Smotrich

“Israeli” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that “Israel” should occupy the Gaza Strip and encourage half of Gaza’s population to leave within two years.

“It is possible to create a situation where Gaza’s population will be reduced to half its current size in two years,” Smotrich said at a conference organized by a group representing “Israeli” settlements in the West Bank.

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“It won’t cost too much money…Even if it does, we should not be afraid to pay for it,” he added.

“If the cost of security control is 5 billion shekels ($1.37 billion), I will accept it with open arms. If that is what it takes to ensure the security of Israel, then so be it.”

“It is the only way,” he continued. “Occupying Gaza is not a dirty word…We can occupy Gaza and thin the population by half within two years,” through what claimed was a strategy of encouraging “voluntary emigration.”

Smotrich then added that the same proposed strategy can be replicated in the West Bank, after saying earlier this month that Trump’s election victory creates a window for this scenario to happen.