Israeli Defense Minister Vows Israel Will Stay in Gaza, Permanent IDF Settlements in Strip's North
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Tuesday that Israel plans to establish communities in northern Gaza to replace those evacuated during the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip.
"When the time is right," Katz said, "Israel will establish Garinei Nahal in northern Gaza," referring to a military program in which groups of young Israelis enlist together and later form civilian communities.
"We are deep in Gaza and we will never leave all of it, no such thing will happen. We're here to defend and prevent what happened," he continued.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the signing of an agreement to evacuate the Binyamin Regional Brigade headquarters and build housing units in the Beit El settlement in the West Bank, Katz said: "We are deep inside Gaza and will never leave all of Gaza – that will not happen. We are here to defend and to prevent what happened."
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He added that the military is also operating "inside Lebanon, inside Syria, at the peak of Mount Hermon in the security zone, and inside the terror camps in the West Bank."
According to Katz, "The IDF separates – and will continue to separate – jihadist enemies from our communities and residents. We do not rely on anyone, and no one should come and tell us otherwise – there will be no agreement, and we will not move a millimeter in Syria."