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LAST UPDATE | 6 Feb
ISRAELI DEFENCE MINISTER Israel Katz has said countries that have been critical of the war in Gaza, including Ireland, should take in Palestinians from the devastated territory.
“Countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have falsely accused Israel over its actions in Gaza, are legally obligated to allow Gazans to enter their territory,” Katz said in a social media post.
Katz’s comments came after Benjamin Netanyahu called US President Donald Trump’s plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza a “remarkable idea” even as American officials tried to walk back the suggestion that the US take ownership of the territory.
On Tuesday, Trump called for “permanently” resettling Palestinians from the “hell” of the Gaza Strip and left open the door to deploying American troops there.
As outlined, Trump’s plan would be an exercise in ethnic cleansing, something members of Netanyahu’s government have called for.
But Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he only sought to move the roughly 1.8 million Gazans temporarily to allow for reconstruction.
Even that proposal has drawn criticism from Palestinians, who are worried they may never be allowed back in if they flee, and from the neighbouring nations that Trump has called on to take them in.
In an interview yesterday with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Netanyahu reiterated his praise for Trump.
“It’s a remarkable idea and I think it should be really pursued,” he said. “Examined, pursued and done, because I think it will create a different future for everyone.”
Today, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had ordered the army to formulate a plan to “allow” Palestinians to leave Gaza.
“I have instructed the (army) to prepare a plan that would allow any Gaza resident who wishes to leave to do so, to any country willing to accept them,” he said. “The plan will include exit options through land crossings, as well as special arrangements for departure by sea and air.”
Katz praised Trump’s “bold plan, which could allow a large population in Gaza to leave for various places in the world”.
“Countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have falsely accused Israel over its actions in Gaza, are legally obligated to allow Gazans to enter their territory,” Katz said in a social media post.
“Their hypocrisy will be exposed if they refuse. Meanwhile, countries like Canada, which has a structured immigration program, have previously expressed willingness to take in residents from Gaza.”
Katz added that the people of Gaza “should have the right to freedom of movement and migration”.
Gaza’s borders have been occupied and tightly controlled by an Israeli blockade since 2007.
Netanyahu also met with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said the military is “prepared to look at all options” for rebuilding Gaza.
“We look forward to working with our allies, our counterparts, both diplomatically and militarily, to look at all options,” Hegseth said.
Rubio, on his first foreign trip as secretary of state, described Trump’s proposal as a “very generous” offer to help with debris removal and reconstruction of the enclave following 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
“In the interim, obviously people are going to have to live somewhere while you’re rebuilding it,” Rubio said in a news conference in Guatemala City.
Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a briefing with reporters in Washington that Gaza is “a demolition site” and referenced footage of the devastation.
“The president has made it clear that they need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza,” she said, calling it currently “an uninhabitable place for human beings” and saying it would be “evil to suggest that people should live in such dire conditions”.
Their comments contradicted the president, who said on Tuesday night: “If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed and not be knifed to death like what’s happening in Gaza.”
He added that he envisioned “long-term” US ownership of a redevelopment of the territory.
Egypt, Jordan and other US allies in the Mideast have cautioned Trump that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten Mideast stability, risk expanding the conflict and undermine a decades-long push by the US and its allies for a two-state solution.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued a sharply worded reaction, noting its long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position”.
Saudi Arabia has been in negotiations with the US over a deal to diplomatically recognise Israel in exchange for a security pact and other terms.
“The duty of the international community today is to work to alleviate the severe human suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain committed to their land and will not budge from it,” the Saudi statement said.
Another regional power in the Middle East, Iran, issued a rebuke of Trump’s comments as well.
“The plan to clear Gaza and forcibly displace the Palestinian people to neighbouring countries is considered a continuation of the Zionist regime’s (Israel) targeted plan to completely annihilate the Palestinian nation, and is categorically rejected and condemned,” said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.
Rubio insisted Trump’s position “was not meant as a hostile move”.
“What he’s very generously offered is the ability of the United States to go in and help with debris removal, help with munitions removal, help with reconstruction, the rebuilding homes and businesses and things of this nature so that then people can move back in,” Rubio said.
The White House said Trump was ruling out sending US dollars to aid in the reconstruction of Gaza.
But Leavitt, like Trump, refused to rule out sending American troops into Gaza, saying of Trump: “He wants to preserve that leverage in negotiations.”
Responding to Trump’s initial announcement, Amnesty International’s secretary general Agnès Callamard said:
“His language is inflammatory, outrageous and shameful, and his proposal amounts to a flagrant violation of international law.
“Any plan to forcibly deport Palestinians outside the occupied territory against their will is a war crime, and when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack on the civilian population, it would constitute a crime against humanity.”
With reporting from AFP and Press Association
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