Israel Katz waits on Trump's approval to move Palestinians out of Gaza
Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel is organised and prepared to move Palestinians out of Gaza by sea, by air and by every way possible, and that it is seeking Donald Trump's approval for the plan. In Katz's account Trump has frozen the idea rather than cancelling it and is looking for countries willing to receive them. The ceasefire plan announced in October excluded forced displacement, and forced displacement of civilians in occupied territory is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.
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Katz set the plan out again at the Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth conference
Israel Katz told a conference hosted by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday that Israel is organised and prepared to move Palestinians out of Gaza by sea, by air and by every way possible. In the defence minister's account there is no real solution for Gaza in the end without this migration. Katz said the plan is still discussed and that approval would come whenever it becomes clear Hamas is not meeting its ceasefire obligations. In the same remarks he claimed, without citing a source, that 80 per cent of people in Gaza want to leave and that Hamas is preventing them. Expelling Palestinians from Gaza is widely condemned as a potential war crime.[1], [2]
In Katz's telling the decision sits in Washington
In Katz's account Donald Trump has frozen the idea rather than cancelling it, and is looking for countries willing to receive Palestinians. The minister said American support was decisive for regional opinion, and that Trump's approval mattered for convincing neighbouring countries to accept refugees; in his telling every country willing to take them in wants American backing. Katz pointed to Egypt, which he said had lobbied Washington against the forced removal. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Guardian.[1], [2]
The October ceasefire plan and the Geneva Conventions
Early in his second term Trump called for all two million Palestinians to leave Gaza and spoke of developing the territory as a resort, then walked the idea back after pushback that included Egypt, the only country other than Israel bordering Gaza. The 20-point plan set out when the ceasefire was announced in October excluded forced displacement. Forced displacement of civilians in occupied territory is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. Katz's remarks came during a competitive election season in Israel. Netanyahu visited an Israeli military post close to the yellow line in Gaza the same day and said Israel controlled the territory and was staying on that line.[1], [2]
