Israeli Finance Minister Discusses "Humanitarian Solution" for Gaza Residents

Despite the U.S. State Department condemning calls for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich continued on Wednesday to emphasize the need to reduce the Palestinian population in the sector. Smotrich stated, "More than 70 percent of Israelis today support such a humanitarian solution." He did not provide a source for this statistic. He added, "There is public support for the voluntary migration of Arabs from Gaza and their absorption in other countries." He continued, "A small country like ours cannot bear a reality where, just 4 minutes from our settlements, there is a hotbed of hatred and terrorism, where two million people wake up every morning with the ambition to destroy the State of Israel and a desire to slaughter, rape, and kill Jews wherever they are." He further stated, "We are required to rethink and exchange ideas with our friends in the international community on what will bring peace, security, and prosperity to all the peoples of the region."