An Israeli minister has said that removing Palestinians from Gaza would rely on force rather than so-called “voluntary migration”.
Likud Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi called the scheme a “deportation plan” in an online post on Tuesday, attacking attorney general Gali Baharav-Miara for allegedly demanding a legal review of the plan.
This contradicts previous claims by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jewish Power leader and former government minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who have tried to present what critics condemn as “ethnic cleansing” as “voluntary migration.”
During a heated cabinet meeting on Monday, attorney general Baharav-Miara insisted that ministers consult her on the legality of US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to forcefully relocate Palestinians in Gaza to third countries. Trump made the proposal on 5 February while Netanyahu was visiting Washington.
Her demand, however, was met with sharp criticism from senior Israeli officials.
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Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed her request outright. “Trump didn’t consult attorneys general when drafting his plan,” he said.
Saar added, “The honourable attorney general is not the political echelon, we are. We decide what to do, and you tell us how to do it.”
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The tension escalated with Ben Gvir weighing in, mocking Baharav-Miara’s authority. “The only consultation the government should have with her is whether she prefers to receive her dismissal letter by hand or email,” he said.
The tensions come amid reports that at least 68 percent of the Israeli public supports Trump’s plan, according to a poll aired on Israeli Channel 12 News on Monday evening.
The proposal, which has sparked an international outcry, aims to resettle Gaza’s population to other nations, a move critics argue undermines Palestinian rights and violates international law.
Earlier this month, Trump said he would “take over” the Gaza Strip, transfer its Palestinian population to other countries, and rebuild the territory into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
Speaking at a White House press conference, with Netanyahu looking on, Trump also said that Egypt and Jordan would “give us the kind of land that we need to get this done”.
More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s on Gaza started on 7 October 2023. Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
