Since the start of Hamas’ attack on Israel, certain ministers in Netanyahu’s cabinet have called for the forced relocation of Palestinians residing in Gaza to Egypt and other regions. This demand has garnered various responses from the international community. The US State Department has previously denounced these statements from the Israeli ministers as provocative and irresponsible. Additionally, European countries have expressed critical views regarding these statements. This article focuses on the European Union’s stance on Gaza resettlement.
The request of Israeli ministers for the evacuation of Palestinians from Gaza
According to Itamar Ben Gvir, the Israeli Minister of Internal Security, the Israeli army’s extensive attacks on the Gaza Strip present an opening to concentrate on the initiative of relocating Palestinians and incentivising Gazans to migrate to different nations. Bezalel Smotrich, the Minister of Finance of Israel, further stressed the importance of encouraging Gaza Strip residents to emigrate and depart from the region. Recent reports suggest that Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned during a Likud party meeting that efforts are being made to discover countries willing to accept Gaza residents as refugees.
Israel’s information minister’s request to the international community
Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel from the Likud party has urged the international community to support the voluntary relocation of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip instead of providing monetary aid for its reconstruction. The Gaza Strip has been repeatedly under attack by the Israeli army. Gamliel has suggested encouraging Palestinians to resettle outside of Gaza for humanitarian reasons. She criticised the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). She proposed that the international community contribute financially to facilitate the resettlement process and assist the residents in establishing their new lives in host countries. The minister called for a fresh approach and appealed to the international community to assist in turning this idea into a reality. She suggested that this solution could benefit both the civilians of Gaza, who are seeking improved lives, and Israel, which has suffered from the devastating tragedy.
Condemning the statements of Netanyahu’s cabinet ministers
European Union’s stance on Gaza resettlement shows that most of them are against this issue. EU foreign policy representatives attacked Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, two right-wing ministers in Netanyahu’s cabinet. European governments criticised the statements of two right-wing Israeli ministers who called for the re-immigration of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Despite earlier criticism from the United States, Bezalel Smotrich, Netanyahu’s cabinet finance minister and leader of the Religious Zionist Party, stood by his proposal for voluntary migration of Palestinians after the end of the war. Itamar Ben Gvir, Minister of Internal Security and leader of the nationalist Otzma Yehudit party, also issued a call to encourage the migration of Gaza residents as a solution to the humanitarian crisis in the region.
America’s reaction to provocative statements by Israeli ministers
The reactions to the positions of the Israeli ministers come after the Biden administration called the words of the two ministers “provocative and irresponsible” in a statement. Previously, US President Joe Biden announced that the Palestinian people deserve their own country and that a new Palestinian Authority should govern Gaza and the West Bank. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller reacted to the statements of two Israeli ministers about the displacement of the people of Gaza. In a statement, he announced, “The United States rejects recent statements from Israeli Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir advocating for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza. This rhetoric is inflammatory and irresponsible.”
The EU’s chief foreign policy official disagreed with the positions of Israeli ministers
Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, called calls for the resettlement of Palestinians living in Gaza “provocative and irresponsible”. The European Union’s foreign policy official strongly condemned the statements of two Israeli ministers about the displacement of the people of Gaza. “I strongly condemn the inflammatory & irresponsible statements by Israeli ministers Ben Gvir & Smotrich slandering the Palestinian population of Gaza & calling for a plan for their emigration,” Josep Borrell wrote in a message on X. Stating that forced displacement is a gross violation of international law, he warned the Israeli authorities to be careful with their statements.
Condemnation of the positions of Israeli ministers by European countries
European Union’s stance on Gaza resettlement has been completely negative. In a coordinated move, Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth & Development Affairs Lord Tariq Ahmad wrote on social media: “We deplore inflammatory remarks by Israeli Ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir.” The spokesman of the British Foreign Ministry also said that Gaza is Palestinian land and will be a part of the Palestinian state.” Britain firmly rejects any proposal to resettle Palestinians outside of Gaza. The Spanish Government also attacked the words of Netanyahu’s ministers. It said: “The Government of Spain rejects recent statements by members of the Government of Israel evoking population movements in Gaza that would be contrary to international law.”
Israel has no right to decide where Palestinians live
In response to the statements of two extreme ministers of the Israeli cabinet about the displacement of Palestinians, the French Foreign Ministry announced that the Israeli cabinet does not have the right to decide where Palestinians live in their land. In a statement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the statements of two extremist ministers of the Israeli cabinet about the forced displacement of residents of the Gaza Strip. The statement reads: “It is not up to the Israeli Government to decide where Palestinians should live on their land. The future of the Gaza Strip and its inhabitants falls within the framework of a unified Palestinian State living in peace and security alongside Israel.” France asked Israel to refrain from such provocative statements that are irresponsible and inflame tension. The French Foreign Ministry also warned that the forced population transfer is a gross violation of international law.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights criticised the statements of the Israeli ministers
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed strong concern over the statements made by senior Israeli officials regarding the transfer of Palestinian civilians from Gaza. The European Union, France, Britain, and Spain have also condemned these provocative statements. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, published a message on the X, saying, “Very disturbed by high-level Israeli officials’ statements on plans to transfer civilians from #Gaza to third countries. Eighty-five per cent of people in Gaza are already internally displaced. They have the right to return to their homes. Int’l law prohibits forcible transfer of protected persons within or deportation from occupied territory”.
The international community opposes the resettlement of Palestinians in other lands
There is a strong inclination among Israelis to remove Palestinians from their land, as evidenced by a 2016 poll where 48 per cent of Israelis expressed support for the relocation of the entire Palestinian population. The discourse surrounding Palestinian resettlement serves to undermine the two-state solution. The Israeli Government is currently formulating strategies to resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in different nations. However, executing these plans would involve the cooperation of other countries in a significant transgression. Consequently, resettling in Gaza would constitute an act of ethnic cleansing. As Israel has been unable to settle Palestinians in the Sinai Peninsula due to Egypt’s refusal, alternative proposals have surfaced to displace the population from the Gaza Strip forcibly.
