By Hammad Kahlun
Scandinavian news Finland
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has alleged that U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff privately told him he would not “let two million Nazis live next to your children along the border fence” a remark referring to Gaza’s population, roughly half of whom are children.
The claim, first reported by Israel National News, has not been confirmed or commented on by Witkoff.
The Alleged Meeting
Smotrich said the exchange took place on January 30, 2025, during a Jerusalem meeting that also included then-Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
According to Smotrich, the conversation occurred a day after Witkoff toured Gaza’s Netzarim Corridor and viewed footage from the October 7 Hamas attack, an experience Smotrich described as leaving the envoy visibly shaken.
Recounting the alleged exchange, Smotrich quoted Witkoff as adding: “There is only one thing that hurts the enemy: land.”
Timing and Context
Smotrich’s account places the alleged remark just days before President Trump publicly unveiled a proposal for the United States to take control of Gaza and relocate its population a plan that drew widespread international criticism when announced.
No independent corroboration of the quote has been published. Israel National News’ report relies solely on Smotrich’s recollection of the private conversation.
A Pattern of Rhetoric
The phrase attributed to Witkoff echoes language Smotrich himself has used repeatedly. In November 2023, he described Palestinians in the West Bank which he refers to by the biblical terms Judea and Samaria as “two million Nazis.”
Smotrich has also argued that Jewish settlement of Gaza is necessary, stating that failing to do so would leave “two million Nazis who want to destroy us every morning.”
What Remains Unverified
Witkoff, who serves as Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, has not responded publicly to Smotrich’s account. The White House and State Department have not issued statements confirming or denying the alleged remark.
The claim surfaces amid ongoing scrutiny of U.S. policy toward Gaza following Trump’s transfer proposal, which itself faced condemnation from multiple governments and human rights organizations over its implications for Gaza’s roughly two million residents.
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff
About The Author
