Bezalel Smotrich at the Victory Conference
Bezalel Smotrich at the Victory ConferenceRo'im Et Hakolot

The chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, Minister Bezalel Smotrich, spoke on Sunday evening to the thousands of people who took part in the "Victory Conference" which was held at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, calling for a return to the communities that were evacuated during the Disengagement from Gush Katif and Northern Samaria.

"The people of Israel are at a significant and important crossroads. We have to decide - do we once again run away from terrorism and allow a murderous hotbed to grow again and grow beyond the fence, or do we settle the land, control it, fight terrorism and bring security to the entire State of Israel. You know what the answer is. Without settlement there is no security. And without security on the Gaza border, there is no security in all of Israel," said Minister Smotrich.

He added, "Like many of my friends and many of those sitting here, I too was beaten up in the eighth grade when we opposed the terrible folly of the accursed Oslo Accords. We knew what it would bring upon us and we fought against it. Like many, I also fought the expulsion from Gush Katif. I paid for it with my freedom for several weeks. I'm proud of it. We fought because we knew what it would bring."

"Only three years ago I said for the umpteenth time, in an interview with Maariv, that we will have to re-enter Gaza. We will have to conquer Gaza again and I hope that we will not do it after we receive a blow. Unfortunately, we received a blow. A painful one. The murderers across the fence who educate their children to Nazi hatred, committed a terrible massacre."

"But we rise up. We are fighters. We have a nation of lions. Many of the children who were expelled from Netzarim, Neve Dekalim, Elei Sinai, Dugit, Nisanit, Bedolah, Bnei Atzmon, Gadid, Gan Or, Ganei Tal, Kfar Darom, Kfar Yam, Kerem Atzmona, Morag, Netzer Hazani, Pe’at Sadeh, Katif, Rafiah Yam, Shirat Hayam, Slav, Tel Katifa. Many of the children who were expelled from there are now returning there as fighters. We must make sure that they return there to protect the State of Israel. The Eternal Nation is not afraid of a long journey. The Eternal Nation wins! We will rise because we can, we can," concluded Smotrich.

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