At the Urban Renewal Summit in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, the far-right minister said Israel and the US paid a lot of money for the war, so we need to share percentages of land sales in Gaza.
Smotrich also said he had already started negotiations with the U.S. on how to divide Gaza, and said there is a business plan on it that is on the desk of President (Donald) Trump.
CNN asked the White House for comment, but has so far not obtained answers.
“We have completed the demolition phase, which is always the first phase of urban renewal; now we have to build,” he said.
Smotrich’s statements come after similar comments by Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, also a far-right, who said Monday that he planned to build a magnificent neighborhood for Israeli agents in Gaza after the operation in Gaza City ended.
Trump has previously said he views Gaza as a “huge piece of real estate” and proposed expelling 2.1 million Palestinians from the territory before transforming it into a “Riviera” belonging to the U.S.
Israel’s far right has long sought to displace Palestinians from Gaza, a prospect that they have pointed out would amount to ethnic cleansing.
Fears of the situation in Gaza continue to grow, as Israel said it has begun a planned invasion of Gaza City, the largest in the enclave, which is pushing more than a million residents into overcrowded areas further south of the strip.
Until Wednesday, Israeli tanks were positioned on the outskirts of Gaza City ahead of the planned ground operation, according to eyewitnesses and satellite images.
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