Undeterred, Israel's far right advocates for settlers' return to occupied Gaza

JERUSALEM — In the initial weeks of the war with Hamas, calls by the extreme political right to resettle Gaza with Jews began as a curiosity but are now gaining traction. The shift was clear at a festive Jan. 28 Jerusalem gathering that included the political leadership of the extreme right, among them all the ministers from the Jewish Power and Religious Zionism parties as well as other ministers and Knesset members from the governing Likud.

Branded the "Victory Conference," the event, with more than 1,000 participants, was the opening shot for a host of settler initiatives planned for the coming months. They intend to mainstream the idea of resettling the outposts and villages evacuated during the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. But for such a move to happen, the Israeli Knesset would have to repeal the 2005 Gaza disengagement law. 

Going back to settlements evacuated in 2005

Israel’s far right and the leaders of settler groups are calling on the Knesset to enable the return of Jews to the settlements evacuated over 18 years ago. At the time, the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon forcibly evacuated the 19 communities of the Katif settlement bloc in the north of the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the north Samaria region in the West Bank. Despite large and often violent demonstrations, the disengagement plan was approved by the Knesset and made into law, expelling some 9,000 settlers along with the military forces deployed in the enclave.