Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismantle the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) operating in southern Israel, saying the Trump administration’s postwar plan for Gaza threatens Israel’s sovereignty and security.
“The time has come to dismantle the headquarters in Kiryat Gat,” Smotrich said in a statement, referring to the center coordinating international efforts on Gaza’s postwar future. He described the CMCC as a channel for foreign influence that undermines Israeli interests and decision-making, specifically naming Egypt and the United Kingdom as “hostile” actors within the facility.
The CMCC, established in October 2025 by US Central Command, includes representatives from over 60 nations and organizations, including France, Germany, and Canada. It has played a central role in facilitating humanitarian aid into Gaza since a ceasefire began in October of last year, and forms a core pillar of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, which recently moved into its second phase of implementation.
While Smotrich thanked Trump for his help securing hostage releases in recent deals, he said the broader US plan “is bad for the State of Israel and must be shelved.” Instead of international committees and reconstruction roadmaps, he called for decisive Israeli control over the Gaza Strip—including military rule and the reestablishment of Jewish communities.
“Gaza is ours,” Smotrich said. “Its future will affect our future more than anyone else’s.”
Jews who support the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip protest march near the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, southern Israel, July 30, 2025. Photo by Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90
The finance minister made the remarks during an event celebrating the founding of Yatziv, a new Jewish community in Judea, just south of Jerusalem. His speech focused heavily on the 2005 disengagement from Gaza, which he described as a “sin” that Israel has a duty to reverse.
“Wasn’t the most terrible massacre that has befallen the Jewish people since the Holocaust enough?” Smotrich asked, referring to the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel. He argued that the terror attack exposed the consequences of Israel’s withdrawal from Gush Katif, the Jewish bloc of 17 settlements inside Gaza evacuated under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
A binary choice
Smotrich proposed issuing Hamas a short ultimatum to disarm and flee, after which the IDF would launch a full military campaign to destroy the group. Once defeated, Israel would impose direct control over the territory and encourage emigration of hostile elements abroad. He framed the strategic options as binary: either full Israeli control and permanent settlement, or continued instability and foreign interference.
The Trump administration’s current plan calls for amnesty for Hamas members who disarm and pledge peaceful coexistence, as well as safe passage for those who choose to leave Gaza. It also includes the creation of a “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction, with seats for Qatari and Turkish officials—two nations Smotrich strongly criticized.
“Erdogan is Sinwar. Qatar is Hamas. There is no difference,” he said, condemning the inclusion of these nations in postwar planning. “It is either us or them.”
The Prime Minister’s Office and US State Department did not comment on Smotrich’s remarks. Nor did the UK or Egyptian governments, both singled out by Smotrich for undermining Israel’s security.
While Smotrich’s proposal has not been adopted as policy, it reflects a growing tension within Israel’s government over how to manage Gaza after the war. His call to shut down the CMCC and reintroduce Jewish presence into Gaza directly challenges the American-led approach and reopens questions long considered politically untouchable.
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