By Noa Shpigel
Far-right lawmaker Tzvi Succot had only 30 seconds to speak at the Caucus to Strengthen the Awareness of Israeli Victory at the Knesset last week. If you’re a hard-liner, he didn’t disappoint.
“This event must end in a way that resounds everywhere in the Arab world,” he said, adding that in the West Bank, “among the Arabs of Israel, in Syria, in Lebanon, everyone must see what has happened to Gaza and understand that this is the last thing he wants to happen in his life.”
Succot added:
“At least in the northern Gaza Strip we first have to conquer, annex, destroy all the houses, build neighborhoods – large and expansive neighborhoods, large settlements in that place that will be named after our heroes, after the nation’s heroes who fought there. We will distribute free plots there to the soldiers who fought, to the wounded who fought.
“This image, and this is the most important thing, of the destroyed Gaza, of Palestine Square that will become Israeli Heroism Square, this image will echo in every home around the world so that everyone will see what happens to those who mess with the people of Israel.”
The caucus, which was established even before Israel’s most right-wing Knesset took over in November 2022, debated the topic “How Israel’s Victory Will Look at the End of the War.” Among the few women around the table were legendary settler leader Daniella Weiss and right-wing commentator Nave Dromi.
While the members of the narrow war cabinet seem to weigh every word – both about the war and the 129 hostages still being held by Hamas – at the caucus meeting Israel’s hard right let loose.
Every time someone mentioned the resettlement of Gaza, loud applause erupted in the audience. Moderates were at a premium.
Zvi Hauser, a former center-right lawmaker, said that if Hamas’ military leaders remain in Gaza they must be expelled as the heads of the Palestine Liberation Organization were expelled from Lebanon in 1982.
