A two-day festival organized by a number of right-wing political parties and organizations calling to resettle the Gaza Strip began on Sunday, and a “sukkot tent city” was set up in a closed military zone approximately 1 km. southwest of Be’eri and approximately 3 km. east from the Gaza border, according to a statement by the pro-settlement Nahala Movement.
The event received the IDF's approval. Civilians can apply for permits to hold events in closed military zones, and a number of other events in the Gaza border area, including memorial events on October 7, received the IDF's approval in closed military zones near the border in recent months.
The process includes IDF approval, and then approval by the relevant landowner, the local authority, and the police, and then once again it returns to the IDF for final approval.
The event began on Sunday afternoon with a tour of lookout points near the Gaza border and then the building of a “city of sukkot” at the site southwest of Be’eri, known as the Machsanei Hatachmoshet (“Ammunition Warehouses”). By Sunday evening, approximately 100 families had constructed sukkot at the site, according to Nahala. The IDF spokesperson said that at approximately 8:00 p.m., there were less than 100 people at the site.
According to the Nahala statement, Monday will include the “peak” of the events, which will include the opening of Sukkat Hatkuma (Sukkah of Revival), which will host bereaved families and family members of hostages; a press conference with bereaved families and settler leaders; “practical training” and a “unique fair” dedicated to “logistical preparations” for founding settlements; and a Simchat Beit Hashoeva (festive Sukkot celebration) with musical performances, rabbis, ministers, MKs, and other public figures in attendance.
Politicians attend the settlement festival
The politicians expected to attend include some from the far-right parties Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionist Party, but also from the Likud governing party. Women’s Advancement Minister and Social Equality Minister May Golan (Likud) wrote on social media on Sunday evening that she was participating because “the days of ‘land for peace’, of the messiahs of peace, and of silencing people in the name of ‘pluralism’” were over.
“Our enemies must understand the hard way the price for murder, arson, rape, and taking civilians hostage,” Golan wrote.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel does not intend to resettle Gaza, as of Sunday evening he had not addressed the fact that in addition to Golan, nine MKs from Likud had appeared on a flyer of the event that included the Likud’s banner.
Earlier on Sunday, the left-wing Peace Now nonprofit wrote a letter to IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi calling on him “to prevent any attempt by settlers and extreme-right activists to cross the border and infiltrate Gaza.”
According to the letter, this was “dangerous criminality that will necessarily endanger soldiers and security forces and harm Israel on the international stage.” The nonprofit demanded “zero tolerance and a strong hand,” including against MKs who “may attempt to take advantage of their immunity.”
According to a report on Kan Radio on Sunday evening, a large number of media teams from foreign networks were covering the event.
The IDF said in response to a Jerusalem Post query, "The event in question was examined and approved by the IDF. As long as it is possible [from a] security standpoint, events such as these are permitted according to IDF demands. Any attempt to find fault with the IDF's considerations by which permits for events such as these are examined, is false and baseless."