Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich criticized the release of the director of the Shifaa Hospital during a party meeting today. "The release today of the director of the terror headquarters known as the Shifaa Hospital, together with dozens of other terrorists, is a scandal and a big failure. I wrote to the Prime Minister demanding to conduct an immediate inquiry into this failure and demand answers from all the responsible without exception in order to ensure that such a thing will not happen again."
"I will ask that the conclusions of the inquiry be presented to the cabinet this week, and that penalties be imposed against those responsible for the failure. Even if the IDF has a justified criticism of the Prison Service, that does not solve the prison overcrowding crisis, and still does not justify this release which is contrary to the war's goals, the mission of the highest order of freeing the hostages, and sends a message of weakness to our enemies."
Smotrich mentioned the measures approved by the cabinet against the Palestinian Authority and its leaders. "Last Thursday, the cabinet approved my proposal to impose harsh sanctions against the Palestinian Authority and its leaders, including economic sanctions, travel restrictions, and revocation of VIP privileges for Palestinian Authority officials in response to the activities the PA is conducting against the State of Israel. These include the enforcement of law in Area B, with a focus on enforcement against illegal Arab construction in the eastern Gush Etzion. In addition, the cabinet approved my proposal to legitimize five new towns in Judea and Samaria in strategic locations that create a Jewish settlement continuum, and in addition we are approving some 6,000 new housing units, as part of my plan to prevent a Palestinian state."
"Sinwar the Nazi has declared that he went out to the 7.10 massacre in order to put the Palestinian state back on the agenda.That is also what Nasrallah says. We will take it off the agenda by establishing facts on the ground, strengthening Jewish settlements, and applying Israeli sovereignty. The first stage will be in the field with deeds, and later with formality and legalization. The five towns that were legitimized are a response to the unilateral recognition of five countries of the same terrorist state that will not arise, and I say here: for every country that unilaterally recognizes a Palestinian state we will establish a new town and thus bring about the demise of the delusional idea of establishing a Palestinian state that will endanger the existence of the State of Israel."
Smotrich noted that even in the world at large, the dangers of a Palestinian state are being recognized. "We see that even in France and Europe, they are beginning to awaken and understand the danger of radical Islam that threatens the entire free world. In addition, I would like to congratulate former President Trump, who in the context of the debate with Biden refused to declare his support for a Palestinian state. I have no doubt that if Israel stands up for itself, removes the Palestinian state from the agenda, and applies sovereignty - the world will recognize and support it. It is just, it is moral and it is essential for the security of Israel."
The minister also called for the establishment of a military government in Gaza. "We hear reports in the media that the IDF is preparing for the end of the war and the transition to Phase C of targeted raids. The IDF has made great achievements in the injury of Hamas and its terror infrastructure but much work is still ahead of us. We will not stop the war until we meet all the goals of the war - the destruction of Hamas and the return of all the hostages. It's time to also take responsibility for the distribution of humanitarian aid so that it does not reach Hamas. Only a military government in Gaza will allow the IDF to conquer and take control of the area and prevent the return of Hamas and the rebuilding of its power."
"I repeat my call to go to preemptive war and establish a security strip in southern Lebanon instead of in Israeli territory. An agreement with Hezbollah is not worth the paper it is written on, and it will cost us a terrible price of thousands of dead, if we postpone the decision to go to war to harm Hezbollah fatally."