In recent weeks, there has been a growing buildup of The Nachala Settlement Movement in preparation for a "mass rally" in Paris Square, Jerusalem. The slogan: "Fight, evict, settle." Regarding Hamas terrorists, the movement declared that "these human animals have no right to exist!" The conclusion: "There is only one solution: complete occupation of the territory, expulsion and elimination of all the enemy, and the establishment of thriving Jewish settlements." Fifty buses from across the country were provided for "transportation to the mass rally."
Prior to the rally, Minister of Communications Shlomo Kerhi extended his support, while The Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, backed the movement's message. Otzma Yehudit Party Chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir stated: "Public support for Israel is growing day by day, and to this is added the support of the President of the United States, who called for 'destroying the cruel enemy and encouraging immigration.' Now, our test – to finally defeat Hamas, without stopping, without hesitation, without aiding the enemy – until complete victory." He repeated the rallying cry: "This time decisive."
A series of prominent rabbis called on "the people of Israel" to attend the rally. Among them were Rabbi Dov Lior, rabbi of the Otzma Yehudit party; Rabbi David Pendel, head of the Hesder Yeshiva Afikei Daat in Sderot; Rabbi Eliyahu Rahamim Zini, head of the Or Yishua Yeshiva in Haifa; Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, rabbi of Samaria and president of the Elon Moreh Yeshiva; Rabbi David-Dudi Dudkevich, rabbi of Yitzhar settlement and head of the Roeh Yisrael Yeshiva; Rabbi David Chai Hacohen, Head of Orot Hatorah institution and head of Netivot Hatora Yeshiva, in Bat Yam; Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Schreiber, rabbi of Kfar Darom; Rabbi Uri Gantz, head of the Kedumim Yeshiva; Rabbi Elishama Cohen, head of the Homesh Yeshiva; Rabbi Noam Waldman, head of the Nir Kiryat Arba Yeshiva; and Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Schwartz, rabbi of Kiryat Arba (Hebron).
The moderator opened the conference by saying, "Good evening to the large audience that has come from all over the country." This seemed to be more of a hopeful declaration than a factual statement. Rabbi Oury Cherki, recognizing this disparity, nonetheless harshened the paradox by remarking that: "We are here seemingly few, but we represent the true mindset of the people. We represent the beating heart of the entire Jewish people."
Daniella Weiss, founder and leader of The Nachala Settlement Movement, frequently compared to "The Prophetess Deborah," continues – even after eight decades – to raise her voice with unwavering conviction. Following the traditional practice in rabbinic literature, I was called upon to examine the gravity of the situation, much like the revered rabbi who once responded to the cries of a woman in distress, and examined the outcry.
It seems that the present reality does not align with Weiss's expectations. The Canadian Foreign Ministry imposed sanctions on her in June 2024 for her involvement in illegal settlements in the West Bank. On stage, Weiss passionately addressed her supporters: "We must destroy the Gazans, to the last one." She insisted that not even a morsel of food should be given to the enemy. Furthermore, she proclaimed, "The people of Israel must accept the necessity of returning to war." Directing her words at The Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, who had already established an administration for the voluntary emigration of residents, she implored him: "You have a transfer plan – execute it!" She assured her audience that "most of the people of Israel want settlement in the Gaza Strip," and declared: "We will settle Gaza, Judea, and Samaria – the entire territory of the Land of Israel."
Zvi Elimelech Sharbaf, CEO of The Nachala Settlement Movement, son of Rabbi Uzi Sharbaf (a life prisoner, member of the Jewish underground, an extreme right-wing fundamentalist terrorist group that existed in the years 1979-1984, and grandson of Rabbi Moshe Levinger), offered his vision in a striking manner: "We will win through the power of the cub of the lion of Judah, which has awakened in the past year." Good morning Lion.
Photography: Idan Yaron
Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council and a close associate of The Nachala Settlement Movement's leaders (who co-chaired with them the controversial "Transfer" conference in late January 2024 at Binyanei HaUma, International Conventions Center, that was held under the theme "Returning to Gaza – Only Settlement Will Bring Security," and drew over five thousand participants, including twelve ministers and fifteen KM), declared at the rally: "We must strike the Nazi enemy until we win." (The term "Nazism" has made a comeback in right-wing rhetoric, albeit in a new context). He elaborated, stating that "in Middle Eastern terms, victory means taking enemy lands – which are, in fact, our lands – and settling on them." He assured the audience: "With God's help, we will settle all of northern Samaria, just as we will in the Gaza Strip." The audience responded with a resounding "Amen."
Rabbi David Pendel, who had previously stated that "complete victory is within our grasp, if only we believe in it," encapsulated the messianic fervor of the moment. He mused, "Who would have believed that ministers and mayors would now advocate ‘transfer’? Who would have imagined that the President of the United States would outpace us on the right?" Expressing his dismay, he lamented: "Woe to us that it is he who must teach us to finish the job, he who must tell us that settlement in Gaza is essential, he who insists that drastic changes are necessary – that Israel is too small a country."
His conclusion was resolute: "We need to send a clear message to the Israeli government, as well as to the President of the United States, that we want settlement in Gaza." He concluded with a sigh: "This is the most right-wing, the most correct, the most Zionist, the most religious thing." He also remarked that "there are many people on the left who say: 'You are in power, do what you understand,'" and posed the question: "What are you waiting for?"
Among the hundreds of attendees – young and old – gathered in a closed area near the "Heichal Shlomo" building, which once housed the Chief Rabbinate but has since lost its central role in this context, the message was unequivocal. Rabbi Pendel lamented that the Prime Minister of Israel, instead of fulfilling these critical tasks, is facing a trial – noting that a king is not put on trial [perhaps, this is what President Trump meant when he referred to himself as "His Majesty, the King"]. Instead of engaging in these legal proceedings, the Prime Minister should be focused on essential national priorities, such as visiting the tomb of Rav Ashi, a revered Amora whose burial place is situated on Mount Shanan in Lebanon was recently renovated in secret by the Breslov Hasidim.
Rabbi Oury Cherki – who serves as the rabbi of the "Bayt Yehudi" community in Kiryat Moshe, Jerusalem, chairman of "Noahide World Center," and a rabbi at the Meir Institute – quoted the words of the Israeli prime minister, explaining that it is a battle of good against evil. He spoke about the concept of "image" [the image of God], and explained why "Gaza society has lost its right to exist as a nation." Since they represent evil – the axis of evil – Cherki asserted, "our moral duty… is to destroy them completely." At the end of his speech, he reminded his audience, "We are the ones leading the world to a better state." He insisted, "If we do what is required in Gaza, and with the help of God we do it, we will set an example for all the world's inhabitants."
Rabbi Noam Waldman – head of the Nir Yeshiva in Ir HaAvot (Hebron), which follows the teachings of Abraham Isaac Kook and his son Zvi Yehuda Kook, and emphasizes the role of Torah study, dedication to the Jewish people, and the process of redemption – ruled that "the Gentiles should be bequeathed [Rashi – to expel], and Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip should be reestablished."
As the event progressed with the speeches of The Nachala Settlement Movement's leaders and the esteemed rabbis, political figures also took center stage, braving the stormy Jerusalem evening as the "Coral" storm swept in from the North Pole.
Former Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir electrified the crowd with chants of "Ma-vet la... Me-chab-lim" (death to the terrorists). Expressing his growing affinity for Prime Minister "Bibi," he confessed, "I love him personally." He recalled being "the only one in the [expanded, not the limited] cabinet who opposed the introduction of food trucks to Hamas." Questioning ongoing policies, he remarked, "They told me then, ‘But Biden…' Today there is no Biden – why are there still trucks?" Addressing the enthusiastic audience, he declared, "Today we all know that we were right when we talked about 'encouraging immigration.' Today the president of the greatest power says 'transfer.' We have all the legitimacy in the world to do this."
He led the crowd in a passionate chant: "Immigration now! - All together: Immigration now!" Ben-Gvir also launched an attack on the Legal Advisor to the Government, accusing her of "stitching up cases for all of us." Highlighting his achievements, he boasted, "I appointed a new police commissioner, a prison commissioner, and 18 new superintendents." He proudly cited that "in the past year, 200,000 applications for firearms licenses were submitted," and that he had established "a thousand emergency squads throughout the country."
Limor Son Har-Melech, a member of Ben-Gvir's faction, also spoke at the rally. She declared, "The time has come to win, but really." At the foot of the stage, she shared a private conversation with Eliyahu Yosian, who was introduced as "a veteran of Unit 8200 [an intelligence Corps of the IDF for clandestine operation, collecting SIGINT and code decryption], winner of the Israel Defense Prize, and a leading advocate for settlement in the Gaza Strip."
Rabbi David Pendel reflected on the significance of the moment: "Who would have believed that we would reach a situation where the Minister of Education, the Minister of Finance, and other ministers would come to a demonstration in favor of transfer and settlement in Gaza? It sounds crazy, it sounds extreme. Who would have believed that ministers in the Israeli government would stand behind Daniella Weiss, who paved the way for settlement in Samaria and now in Gaza?"
Indeed, representatives of the ruling parties, led by Likud, were present and did not hesitate to align themselves with the positions of Otzma Yehudit, exhibiting at least the same fervor and determination.
Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman shared "confidential" information with the audience, declaring, "The prime minister is advancing a historic process, together with President Trump, to ensure voluntary immigration." She insisted that "the only solution is to empty Gaza of daredevils." With growing enthusiasm, she vowed: "Gush Katif will return – whether in single-family homes or in towers, inspired by President Trump’s vision." She went so far as to claim that "Trump was sent by the Holy One, blessed be He, to help the people of Israel fulfill their desires."
MK Ariel Kellner (Likud), spoke fervently of "the insatiable lust for murder and hatred of our enemies." He denounced them as "Nazi barbaric animals" and demanded that the Gazans be denied "electricity, water, fuel, and humanitarian aid." He issued a chilling warning: "You will look from afar on the land that was once yours, and we will build a prosperous settlement there."
Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, MK Nissim Vaturi (Likud), who holds a Ph.D. from the International University of Business and Law in Kherson, Ukraine (an institution unrecognized in Israel), took the stage with impassioned rhetoric. Vaturi, whose family is among the 800 families designated for Gush Katif settlement, made waves in November 2023 when he called for "Burn Gaza, no less!" His statement was later cited in South Africa's genocide complaint against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Undeterred, Vaturi doubled down: "We are blessed to be sued in The Hague."
Offering a stark alternative, he proclaimed, "We need to separate the children and women and kill the adults in Gaza." He proudly recounted his recent mission to Italy, where he spread the message of "extermination and transfer – first in Gaza, and then, God willing, in Judea and Samaria." He concluded with a dramatic flourish: "Expel all the Arabs from here. Expel from Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip. Do not be afraid, for the Holy One, blessed be He, is with us." The crowd erupted in cheers and whistles.
Hagai Segal, "the most senior media figure identified with the far right and the settlers in Judea and Samaria," put it well when he recently told a Haaretz reporter: "I think Itamar Ben-Gvir's appointment as Minister of National Security was a disaster, and there is great relief that he is no longer there. When I hear Shlomo Kerhi or Nissim Vaturi, it breaks my heart, and I am not exaggerating."
The organizers were quick to blame the cold weather, as a cause to the depleted turnout. They claimed that many of the buses (supposedly, "more than 20") got "stuck on the way." Unclaimed stacks of posters, leaflets, and stickers remained scattered along the roadsides and on the counters.
A leaflet titled "Our Gaza Forever!" outlined the movement's ideological stance: "Humanitarian practice in the world dictates that during a war, those who are not involved should be absorbed in other countries." It emphasized that "if there are any 'uninvolved' in Gaza, they must be dispersed among the nations." Citing Rabbi Kahane infamous words "It is either us or them!" – the leaflet's writers argued that Israel's actions were of the highest moral order: "A nation unwilling to absorb refugees has no moral right to oppose Israel's steps in this matter."
Another leaflet, titled "This Time We Must Decide! – The People of Israel Are Returning Home," echoed the same demands: "An immediate halt to humanitarian aid to Gaza" and "the deportation of all Gaza Arabs." It concluded with an impassioned plea: "Gaza is our ancestral heritage! How long must my children wait to return to their loving mother?"
Towards the end of the evening, the moderator explained, "We are here to establish facts and decide the struggle." The Nachala Settlement Movement is primarily focused on the establishment of the "Eviatar" outpost, which it recently secured, as well as the settlement of a nucleus of settlers in "Ramat Arbel" in the Lower Galilee. A representative from Ramat Arbel spoke briefly at the end of the rally. At the last moment, a bus from remote areas also arrived, and its representative delivered a few words.
Today, Ramat Arbel consists of approximately ten buildings made of light construction and wood, with three families currently residing there. The outpost was built on agricultural land with the goal of "Judaizing the Galilee." The families who have settled on the land refuse to evacuate and are supported by coalition members and the Israel Police.
The next day, the WhatsApp group of The Nachala Settlement Movement declared: "Yesterday we took a significant step, and we have reached a new level. The people of Israel are awakening in greatness for the renewal of fighting and the defeat of Hamas, and for the renewal of settlement in the Gaza Strip and throughout the Land of Israel." Is that true?
Amid the roaring chants and the ideological fervor, the vision of a new era emerged – one in which, as supporters of the movement hope, "the army wear uniforms, goes to war" – conquer, expel, and settle." Despite long-standing plans and persistent efforts, the final word on The Nachala Settlement Movement's future remains uncertain. While Daniella Weiss's "bag is already ready," she remains, above all, a "windy" phenomenon. And as the saying goes: "Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given."