Spanish
Hours before the meeting of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with US President Donald Trump this Monday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right settler, presented six "red lines" that, he claimed, religious Zionism "is not willing to compromise" on in relation to Gaza and the Palestinian issue in general.
In a statement released on X, Smotrich assured that there will be no concessions on key points such as the rejection of a Palestinian state, the indefinite presence of the Israeli army in Gaza, and the disarmament and withdrawal of Hamas.
The minister ruled out any intervention by Qatar, which he accused of "fomenting and financing terrorism" and of supporting the Al Jazeera network, which he described as "one of the main machines of antisemitic propaganda against Israel."
He also stated that Gaza "will no longer be a prison" and maintained that those who wish to do so will be able to leave "through Egypt to continue their lives in other countries that agree to host them," without specifying which ones or under what conditions.
Smotrich stressed that the Israeli Army will remain "forever in the perimeter, including the Philadelphia corridor (narrow border strip between Gaza and Egypt), with full freedom of action throughout the enclave, to prevent smuggling and protect the southern settlements."
The minister rejected any mention of a Palestinian state, which, he said, "endangers the existence of Israel," and demanded that the idea "be removed from the agenda forever," as well as denying that the Palestinian Authority should have any involvement in Gaza.
Regarding the West Bank, Smotrich stated that the Trump administration offers a "historic opportunity" to prevent the creation of a "terrorist state" and divide the land, while defending that Judea and Samaria "are an integral part of Israel."
He added that an alternative plan is expected to be presented to manage the lives of the "Arabs" in the area "without collective or national aspirations", without detailing its implementation.
Netanyahu will meet later this Monday with Trump at a time of increasing international isolation of both partners, due to their refusal to officially recognize a Palestinian state, while they claim to be working on a peace plan to end hostilities in Gaza.
