File Photo: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. AP
Smotrich said on Tuesday that he was working on finding a way to implement Trump’s plan to resettle Gaza’s population in Egypt and Jordan, according to the Times of Israel.
The far-right politician praised the plan to reporters after the conclusion of the weekly meeting of Knesset members from his Religious Zionism Party.
He said he is working on an “operational plan " to implement Trump's controversial remarks.
Earlier on Sunday, Smotrich welcomed Trump's idea by relocating Palestinian residents from the territory to Egypt and Jordan, affirming that he would work to ensure the implementation of the proposal as soon as possible.
Egypt and Jordan have thoroughly rejected Trump’s proposed resettlement of Gazans to “just clean out” the strip.
The statement seemingly signals US support for the return of Israeli resettlement of Gaza, or at least resettling its native Palestinian population outside of the strip, which, according to Trump, “could be temporary or long-term.”
The Times of Israel further reported that Trump’s statements may have been a calculated move to support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragmenting ruling coalition.
Trump’s statements were also likely the result of a political manoeuvre arranged with Netanyahu’s knowledge, according to the Times of Israel.
Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party had supported a return to full-scale war on the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the far-right minister and party leader had championed efforts to relaunch illegal Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu’s ruling coalition is already facing threats to its survival after the ceasefire deal with Hamas started as Israeli media began focusing on his government’s actions leading up to and during the war on Gaza.
Other reports also had parents of Israeli soldiers call out Netanyahu and his coalition for extending the war on Gaza to maintain their hold on government.
The coalition had already lost the support of Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Strength) when he quit his post as minister of national security in objection to the ceasefire deal, taking two other ministers with him.
Netanyahu's coalition government is increasingly unlikely to complete its full term until 2026, reflecting a broader pattern in Israeli politics where coalition governments rarely endure for their full tenure.
Historically, Israeli coalitions are prone to fragmentation due to ideological diversity and inter-party disputes, a trend exacerbated by Netanyahu’s reliance on a highly polarized, far-right alliance.
The government faces mounting internal pressures, including public dissatisfaction with judicial reforms and the privileges afforded to ultra-Orthodox communities.
The ceasefire of the Gaza war could act as a catalyst for renewed political dissent, with Netanyahu’s leadership under scrutiny for his handling of the conflict and ongoing corruption charges.
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