Leaders from Israel’s Likud Party, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will convene a conference to discuss re-establishing Israeli settlements in Gaza next week. Despite past refusals by Netanyahu, key figures within the party support this initiative.
The conference aims to prepare for resettling Gaza, evacuated by Israel in 2005, near the Gaza border on Monday. Social Equality Minister May Golan and other Likud members are leading the effort. However, the US opposes the idea due to international law deeming settlements in occupied territories illegal.
Other right-wing factions in the government, like Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism, also support settlement expansion. Criticism has come from opposition figures, such as former Defense Minister Gadi Eisenkot, who believes the push for Gaza settlements undermines national consensus.
Following a brutal offensive in Gaza and Lebanon, Israel faces escalating conflict with warnings of a regional war. Despite this, Israel continues expanding its operations. The conference’s controversial stance could have far-reaching implications on Israel’s legal defense and regional stability.