President Donald Trump said about his idea of moving many 2 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to other countries Since he amazed the world by announcing it in February.
But the leaders of Israel ran with him, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a given time listed him as an end condition The 22 month war Stimulated by the attack on October 7, 2023 of Hamas.
He and other Israeli officials present him as a humanitarian measure allowing Palestinians to flee war and difficulties, and say that this should be voluntary. Israel was in talks with African countries – many of which are themselves Cut away by war and at risk of famine – to take the Palestinians in it.
Palestinians say There would be nothing volunteer About leaving part of their homeland Without warranty Once an occupying power has returned a large uninhabitable part. Rights defense groups and a large part of the international community say that this would constitute forced expulsion in violation of international law.
The problem should take on a greater emergency as Israel Widens his military campaign In the last parts of Gaza, she did not take over and largely flattened, and as a large number of Palestinians run away.
“This is our land, there is no other place where we are going,” said Ismail Zaydah, whose family stayed in Gaza City throughout the war, even after a large part of their neighborhood and part of their house was destroyed. “We do not abandon ourselves,” he said. “We were born here, and we die here.”
Here is what the leaders of Israel said, in their own words.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, in a position on February 6 on X
“I asked the army (Israeli military) to prepare a plan that will allow any resident of Gaza who wishes to leave to do so, to any country willing to receive them.
Netanyahu, addressing a meeting of the cabinet on March 30
“Hamas will limit its weapons. Its leaders will be allowed to leave. We will see general security in the Gaza strip and allow the realization of the Trump plan for voluntary migration. This is the plan. We do not hide this and are ready to discuss it at any time. ”
Netanyahu, in a public address on May 21
Israel will create “a sterile area in the southern band to which the civilian population will be evacuated from the combat zones, in order to defend it. In this area, which will be without Hamas, residents of Gaza will receive full humanitarian aid. ”
“I am ready to end the war – according to clear conditions which will ensure the security of Israel. All hostages will return home. Hamas will lay down its weapons, leave power, its leadership, which remains, will be exiled from the band, Gaza will be completely dismantled, and we will make the Trump plan which wishes so correct.
Netanyahu, in an interview with the Israeli media on August 12
“I think that the right thing to do, even according to the laws of war as I know them, is to allow the population to leave, then you enter with all your might against the enemy who remains there.”
“Give them the opportunity to leave! First of all, combat areas, and also of the band if they wish. We allow it, first inside Gaza during the fights, and we will also allow them to leave Gaza. We do not push them but allowing them to leave.”
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