by Moshe Feiglin, former Knesset Member and chairman of the Zehut (Identity) party, translated by Hillel Fendel.
The ceasefire in Gaza, if it comes about, is a losing proposition for Israel. Victory is attainable, however, with a simple acceptance and declaration of the truth.
On the night the ceasefire with Iran took effect, June 24, we lost seven of
our sons in Gaza, and another nine in the two weeks-plus since then. The same
country, the same IDF, the same defense establishment – which just days ago
operated deep inside Iran so tremendously successfully against a distant and
powerful enemy – has struggled for nearly two years now to defeat Hamas on the
border. Why?
Because in Iran we fought for security; in Gaza, we are engaged in evading
justice.
What's the difference?
In Iran, there’s no debate: The enemy regime openly declares its desire to
destroy us. This is no “territorial dispute,” just a purely existential threat.
Even on the far left in Israel, no one comes to Iran's defense. And so the
operation was sharp, swift, and clean: the wings of the planes bore no ethical
weights, and no officers worried about having to choose between striking the targets
or facing indictments in The Hague. We set out to defend our lives - and we
won.
In Gaza, the story is the opposite.
On the soil of the Land of Israel – on the coast of the western Negev – the
campaign, once straightforward and morally clear, has become murky. This is because
the issue has become not only one of security, but also of justice: Whose land
is it? Are we allowed to say clearly out loud that Gaza is ours? As long as
that question remains unanswered, the war will not end. One who is unsure of
his ownership of the land will never be able to control it.
The Source of the Problem
The infrastructure for the terror state in Gaza was established when we
experienced a moral crisis – i.e., when we lost our confidence in the justness
of our path. It wasn't the Iranians who supplied Gaza with weapons; it was we
who deposited the Gaza Strip into the hands of a terrorist organization, via
the Oslo Accords and with the Disengagement [unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in
2005]. We wanted to put the problem to bed by distancing ourselves from it –
but we received, instead, a center of jihad. A problem that is not solved
with justice, returns in blood.
Conquest, Emigration, Settlement – three words that
will once again bring victory to our nation.
The Public Knows: It's Time to Win
Most of the nationalist camp in Israel doesn't necessarily dream of
ideological settlement in Gaza; they simply want security. But such security
will not happen without a clear victory, which means telling the bitter truth:
"Hamas will not be defeated as long as it draws legitimacy from the
international community's stance that the land belongs to the
Palestinians." As such, the war in Gaza is being run not only with weapons
and bombs.
If we want to win, we must take three essential steps: Conquest, deportation/emigration,
settlement.
We must begin by conquering Gaza. There can be no sovereignty without
control on the ground. Gaza must be under complete Israeli control, without
"forays" and "sterile areas" and the like.
We must then deport our enemies, those who dispatch the terrorists, those
who incite, those who organized and murdered and raped on Oct. 7th.
This is a defensive and necessary defensive step. The others should be
encouraged to emigrate, in the spirit of Trump's plan.
Finally, we must settle Gaza with vibrant, loving, Jewish communities. This
must be our mission, our return to roots. Settling the land is not just an
adornment or a decoration; it is our declaration: This is Our Land.
But what about Trump, you ask?
His proposal to deport the Gazans and turn the Strip into a “Riviera”
reflects a global disgust with Hamas, but does not solve the problem for the
long term – neither in Gaza nor in Judea and Samaria.
If we continue to deny our connection to the Gaza Strip, as well as the fact
that it and everywhere else in the Land of Israel are all part of our national
identity – there will be others who will come and “solve the problem” in their
own way, and not necessarily in line with our interests.
Whenever the State of Israel continues to evade the issue, apologize, and
deny the truth of its historic connection with the Land, and as long as it does
not define for itself its political vision (which should be self-evident) - our
enemies will see our weakness, and will even interpret it as a form of consent
to future territorial concessions.
The real battle now is not just over Gaza – but over the future of the
entire State of Israel.
We must say openly and clearly, "Gaza is Ours. This is Our
Land." The moment we do so, all the gates will be opened, the path
forward will be paved, the campaign will be decided – and the cycle of death
will be ended, and security will of course be restored.