DiEM25 condemns in the strongest possible terms the latest statements by Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, openly advocating for the ethnic cleansing and complete destruction of Gaza. These are not isolated remarks. They are the continuation of a systematic policy, one of occupation, apartheid, and now, openly declared genocide.

For months, the world has watched in horror as Gaza has been relentlessly bombed, its people displaced en masse, its hospitals, schools, and homes reduced to rubble. Now, Israel no longer hides its intent. Smotrich’s declarations lay bare what we have warned of all along: that this is not about security. It is about erasure — of a land, of a people, of a history.

Speaking at a settlement policy conference in the illegal Ofra settlement in the occupied West Bank, Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich brazenly declared:

“Within a few months… Gaza will be totally destroyed. The Gazan citizens will be concentrated in the south. They will be totally despairing, understanding that there is no hope and nothing to look for in Gaza, and will be looking for relocation to begin a new life in other places.”

In another comment to Yedioth Ahronoth, he added: “Hamas won’t exist as a functioning entity. The population of Gaza will be concentrated from the Morag Corridor southwards. The rest of the Strip will be empty.”

A blueprint for genocide

This is a blueprint for ethnic cleansing, delivered with chilling clarity. In any just world, such words would trigger immediate global condemnation and action. Yet, the reaction from most Western governments — including the EU — remains cowardly silence. In other words, outright complicity.

Let us be clear: these are not defensive measures. This is state-sanctioned collective punishment. It is a war of annihilation, made possible by the diplomatic shields, weapons, and political cover provided by Israel’s allies.

We reject the criminal logic of apartheid, colonialism, and military supremacy. We reject the moral bankruptcy of European leaders who claim to uphold human rights while enabling war crimes.

This cannot continue. Europe must stop arming Israel. It must suspend all trade agreements that support the occupation. It must hold those responsible accountable under international law.

Solidarity with Palestine is not a radical position — it is a moral obligation. Justice, dignity, and liberation for the Palestinian people are non-negotiable. The time for platitudes is over. The time for action is now.

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