# Smotrich says Defense Ministry has drawn up plans for three Gaza settlements, awaiting Netanyahu sign-off
> Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced June 29 that the Defense Ministry Settlement Administration has completed groundwork for three settlements in northern Gaza and called on Netanyahu to authorize them immediately; he also called for Israel to 'complete the conquest of all of Gaza,' with Israel controlling roughly 70 percent of the territory

**Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-06-29 · heads: Who Decides, What They're Not Saying · 6 takes · 4 lenses · 3 regions

## Summary

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced June 29 at a ceremony near the Gaza border that the Defense Ministry Settlement Administration has completed preliminary work for three Jewish settlements in northern Gaza, pending authorization from Prime Minister Netanyahu and the defense minister. Smotrich made the statement at Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha, where 1,000 new housing units are under construction, and said: "We are prepared to establish three settlements in the northern perimeter immediately, the moment we receive the green light from the prime minister and the minister of defense." He also called for Israel to seize the remaining 30 percent of Gaza it does not yet control, framing settlements as a security belt for southern Israeli communities. The US has consistently opposed Jewish settlements in Gaza, making Netanyahu's formal approval uncertain.

## The split

The Times of Israel leads with the procedural detail: the Settlement Administration has done the groundwork, and the decision rests with Netanyahu. Haaretz adds that the IDF chief has floated "security annexation," suggesting military brass are also applying internal pressure. Al Jazeera foregrounds Smotrich's conquest rhetoric and the illegality of settlements under international law, reflecting a framing shared across Arab and most European outlets. The procedural vs. maximalist distinction matters: the Israeli establishment press treats this as a political negotiation inside the coalition, while international coverage treats it as a statement of intent to colonize.

## By the numbers

- 3, settlements Smotrich says are ready to build in northern Gaza
- 70, percent of Gaza Israel currently controls, per Smotrich's own figure
- 1,000, new housing units under construction at Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha, where Smotrich spoke
- 1, number of additional approvals needed: Netanyahu plus defense minister

## Why it matters

Smotrich's announcement makes explicit what coalition politics have implied: a formal resettlement plan for Gaza exists in bureaucratic form and is waiting for political authorization. If Netanyahu approves, it would mark the first formal settlement establishment in Gaza since Israel's 2005 disengagement and would trigger a rupture with the US, the EU, and the Arab states that have conditionally backed the ceasefire architecture. If he declines, Smotrich has created a public record of governmental readiness that raises pressure on any future government.

## What to watch

- Netanyahu's response: approval, explicit rejection, or silence that leaves the option open.
- US reaction beyond reiterated opposition, including whether it conditions further arms transfers.
- Whether the IDF chief's reported sympathy with "security annexation" surfaces as an official position.
- Palestinian Authority and Hamas responses and whether the announcement affects the [Board of Peace 'recalibrates' at Cyprus as Gaza phase two stalls on Clause 8](/en/n/gaza-phase-two-hamas-disarmament) track.

## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens)

### Israeli centre-right establishment press
- **Times of Israel** (Israel, en) — Lead report on Smotrich's statement at a June 29 construction ceremony at Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha near the Gaza border. Quotes his call for Netanyahu to 'give the approval' and confirms the Settlement Administration has 'completed the groundwork' for three sites in northern Gaza. Notes US opposition makes formal authorization unlikely in the near term.
  > "Smotrich says plans are drawn up to establish three Israeli settlements in Gaza, waiting only for Netanyahu's approval."
  Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-says-plans-drawn-up-to-establish-3-israeli-settlements-in-gaza/

### Gulf pan-Arab broadcast, critical of Israeli occupation
- **Al Jazeera** (Qatar, en) — Al Jazeera frames Smotrich's announcement alongside his call to 'complete the conquest of all of Gaza,' stressing the illegal status of settlements under international law and Palestinian Authority condemnation. Omits the Netanyahu sign-off angle, foregrounding the maximalist territorial demand instead.
  > "Smotrich calls for settlements and 'conquest' of Gaza Strip."
  Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/6/29/israels-smotrich-calls-for-settlements-conquest-of-gaza-strip

### Israeli liberal press, critical of far-right coalition
- **Haaretz** (Israel, he) — Haaretz contextualises the announcement within Smotrich's broader annexation agenda and the coalition's dependence on far-right ministers. Notes that the IDF chief has separately expressed support for 'security annexation,' creating internal pressure on Netanyahu to at least signal openness.
  > "Smotrich: Israel ready to build three settlements in Gaza immediately."
  Source: https://www.haaretz.com/gaza/2026-06-30/ty-article/.premium/smotrich-israel-ready-to-build-three-settlements-in-gaza-immediately/0000019f-180e-d222-a9ff-9e1f38f90000

### unlabelled
- **Antiwar.com** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://news.antiwar.com/2026/06/29/smotrich-says-israel-has-plans-drawn-up-to-establish-three-jewish-settlements-in-gaza-waiting-for-netanyahus-ok/
- **Common Dreams** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://www.commondreams.org/news/smotrich-settlements-gaza
- **Democracy Now** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://www.democracynow.org/2026/6/30/headlines/israeli_strikes_on_gaza_kill_8_including_2_children_as_smotrich_calls_for_gaza_settlements

## Across the graph
- Related: [[netanyahu-coalition-exposure]], [[gaza-ceasefire-aid-shortfall]], [[gaza-phase-two-hamas-disarmament]]
- Entities: Gaza War, Israel, Palestine

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