Israel demands decisive victory as Arab-backed terror structures collapse under firm leadership and unapologetic sovereignty doctrine.
Religious Zionist Party chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich opened his faction meeting Monday with an uncompromising message on Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and Israel’s strategic direction ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s expected meeting with Donald Trump in Washington.
Smotrich stressed that Israel must not halt the war before achieving its declared objective: the total destruction of Hamas. While acknowledging delays—chief among them the hostage situation—he insisted that Israel must now move decisively. “We promised total victory, and we are not there yet,” he stated, warning against political or international pressure that could dilute Israel’s mission.
He outlined six non-negotiable conditions for Gaza’s future. There will be no reconstruction without complete demilitarization, no partial measures, and no cosmetic disarmament. Hamas, he said, cannot exist in Gaza when the war ends. He categorically rejected any role for the Palestinian Authority, describing it as a terrorist entity incapable of governing without violence.
Smotrich further ruled out multinational forces inside Israeli-controlled zones of Gaza, insisting that any international role must dismantle Hamas outside Israel’s operational areas. Israel, he emphasized, will not fund Gaza’s reconstruction, placing responsibility squarely on those who initiated the October 7 massacre. If diplomacy fails, Israel must retain full freedom of action.
Turning to Judea and Samaria, Smotrich called Oslo a historic mistake and demanded the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority, weapon collection, and the application of Israeli sovereignty—warning that failure would invite another October 7. Citing Trump’s past remarks on Israel’s indefensible borders, he argued that decisive action is a moral and strategic necessity.
He concluded with domestic priorities, highlighting aggressive reforms to crush monopolies, lower food prices, and defeat the cost-of-living crisis—proving, he said, that Israel can be strong on security and affordable at home.
