Israeli ministers defy military order at Gaza border rally
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attend event near Gaza, marking a shift in mainstream political discourse despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public opposition to resettlement.
Israeli cabinet members and parliamentarians joined a march near the Gaza border on Sunday, challenging a last-minute military designation that closed the area to prevent crossings into the territory. The event, organised by the settler group Nachala, saw senior government figures call for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements evacuated in 2005, signalling a notable shift in the mainstream political discourse regarding Gaza resettlement.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also oversees settlement affairs, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attended the rally, which marched under the banner “returning home after 21 years.” Both ministers have been sanctioned by several European countries. Smotrich urged Israelis not to miss a “historic opportunity” to rebuild the settlements of Elei Sinai, Dugit, and Nisanit, while Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself among the crowd with the caption: “Gaza is ours.”
The march defied a 24-hour closure order issued by the Israeli army, which cited concerns that participants planned to cross the fence into the besieged Palestinian territory. While Nachala, led by Daniella Weiss, claimed the event drew more than 10,000 attendees, Israeli media estimates placed the crowd at only a few hundred. Video verified by Al Jazeera’s verification unit showed dozens of Israelis gathered at the border fence, with some marchers bypassing checkpoints through nearby hillsides.
The rally highlights a growing tension within the Israeli government, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party was listed among the event’s sponsors despite his insistence that Gaza will not be resettled. The movement to resettle Gaza has moved from the political margins into the mainstream, with Weiss previously stating at a Likud party conference that Palestinians would “disappear” from the territory.
Palestinian lawyer and analyst Diana Buttu told Al Jazeera that Israel’s settlement drive has been enabled by a lack of accountability. She linked the current political climate to broader accusations, stating that a country that commits genocide and ethnic cleansing feels emboldened to steal more land because it has never been punished for its crimes. This follows a December incident where Nachala activists briefly crossed into Gaza to plant an Israeli flag before being returned by soldiers.
