This was a particularly stormy Likud faction meeting.
At the center of it, Defense Minister Yoav Galant tried to explain why the words he said at the press conference he convened last week were not directed against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, nor did they indicate that he intended to defect from the Likud. "The Likud is my home," he clarified to members.
Then Culture and Sports Minister Mickey Zohar surprised by expressing an unexpected position - opposition to Israeli military control of the Gaza Strip.
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""There is no question that there must be control and security in the Gaza Strip. What this means is that if terrorist nests develop, the IDF can, at any given moment, at its discretion, enter, purge, remove the threat, enter as much as necessary and exit again in accordance with its security considerations.".
MK Tali Gottlieb tried to understand: "How will you do it?" "It has to be done." Other MKs tried to tell him, "They said it during the disengagement... They said it in Lebanon.".
But MK Miki Zohar continued, and this time in a strong, decisive and painful tone against those who seek military control of Gaza. "Whoever says this should know that afterwards he goes to the homes of the mothers who are losing, probably hundreds if not more soldiers, and explains to them why their children fell. To manage these murderers, to manage people who supported terrorism, who encouraged terrorism, who took Hamas as their leader, which led to this mass murder of October 7th, that I will go and be their babysitter? Now you will have to explain to the mothers why the children are falling for this people.".
This morning I contacted him and asked him to explain his remarks yesterday to the Likud faction.
""I want a security concept like in Judea and Samaria, but I oppose a military government," Minister Zohar replied.
why?
""Because security control will allow us to enter the Strip whenever we want to in order to purge terrorism. But in my opinion, a military government would be a disaster, because while our soldiers are distributing food and clothing to the Gazans, they will try to murder them on a daily basis.".
That is, will the PA control Gaza like it does in Judea and Samaria?
""Absolutely not, I oppose the authority.".
I understand. I mean, Gallant's opinion is actually quite similar, except he made it bombastic with a press conference, so he appeared to be anti-Bibi...
""exactly".
Minister Yoav Galant explained at the faction meeting why he is against military control of the Gaza Strip. "It would turn military service into four years, we don't have enough soldiers for that.".
However, in light of the attacks against him, he emphasized: "I am against a Palestinian state, where there will be neither Hamas nor Israel." According to him, "I think the least bad alternative is a local factor. There are no volunteers from factors in the world.".
