Religious Zionist Party MP urges government to occupy Gaza, annex to Israel, demolish all homes

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – An Israeli parliamentarian from the far-right Religious Zionist Party issued a provocative statement on Wednesday, urging his government to occupy Gaza, annex it to Israel, and demolish all Palestinian homes.

The latest statement by Knesset member Zvi Sukkot is yet another provocation by Tel Aviv, whose army has been attacking the enclave for nearly three months, first besieging it and denying humanitarian aid to nearly two million people, then destroying its infrastructure, including health care facilities, and in some instances humiliating men, young and old, by stripping them down to underwear.

Sukkot's video statement posted on X, also includes excerpts from his speech in one of the parliamentary committee sessions on Tuesday.

“Occupy, annex, and demolish all the houses there, and build large neighborhoods and settlements,” he said.

During its ongoing war on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, the Israeli army completely destroyed 65,000 housing units and partially destroyed 290,000 housing units.

In addition, hundreds of government buildings, schools, and mosques have also been destroyed, according to data released by the government media office in Gaza on Wednesday.

"A large settlement will be named after the nation's heroes who fought there," Sukkot said, adding that “Land plots will be distributed to the soldiers and wounded who fought."

Referring to a famous square in Gaza City, Sukkot said, “Even Palestine Square must become the square of Israeli heroism.”

Earlier, the far-right Religious Zionism party leader and incumbent Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed support for the expulsion of people from Gaza in a statement, calling it "voluntary displacement" of Palestinians from their land.

In another statement, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir supported the expulsion of Palestinians from the enclave, using the phrase "voluntary migration of Gaza residents."

However, EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Wednesday evening slammed Israeli ministers’ remarks calling for the displacement of people from the Gaza Strip.

​​​​​​​“I strongly condemn the inflammatory and irresponsible statements by Israeli ministers Ben Gvir & Smotrich slandering the Palestinian population of Gaza and calling for a plan for their emigration,” he said in a statement posted on X.

He also stressed, “Forced displacements are strictly prohibited as a grave violation of IHL (International Humanitarian Law), and words matter.”

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 22,185 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,035 others injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

* Writing by Rania Abu Shamala