Netanyahu recalled that after the IDF withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it handed it over to the PA, which was then ousted by Hamas in a violent coup in 2007.
The overarching objective is to fortify the security belt and reestablish a Jewish presence in these regions.
Smotrich's fantasies are best played out in that venue, not in public life.
There have been many initiatives in the past 19 years to reestablish Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip, but until the October 7 massacre by Hamas, it didn't look likely.
A home in the settlement, located on the western edge of the Seam Line, was damaged.
In the broader context of Israel's defense and international relations, Bennett emphasized the nation's strength, saying, "I don't want their pity. I want them to fear us, to understand our strength."
There was a dramatic spike of 303% in housing starts from the first and second quarters of 2023.