Israeli army ordered to prepare for departure of Gaza residents
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the army to create a plan to enable the “voluntary departure” of Gaza residents, Israeli media reported, according to Asharq Al-Awsat on February 6th.
Shortly after regaining presidency, US President Donald Trump’s made a shock announcement that his country intends to take over Gaza, resettle Gaza’s Palestinian residents and change the territory into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Katz told Israel’s Channel 12: “I welcome President Trump’s bold plan, Gaza residents should be allowed the freedom to leave and emigrate, as is the norm around the world.”
“Countries like Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have levelled accusations and false claims against Israel over its actions in Gaza, are legally obligated to allow any Gaza resident to enter their territories,” he said.
When asked which countries would take in the Palestinian residents, Katz said this would be countries who are against Israel’s military operations in Gaza. As part of Katz’s plan, Palestinians will be able to leave the Strip via land crossings and special arrangements will be made for those departing by sea and air.
On February 6th, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares rejected the idea in an interview with broadcaster RNE, according to Anadolu Agency. While Spain has expressed its “solidarity with Palestine” the minister said, “no one should even be debating about where Palestinian Gazans should go, because that debate is closed.”
“The land of Palestinian Gazans is Gaza. Gaza should be part of the future Palestinian state, just as Spain and the majority of the planet’s nations recognise,” he added, reinforcing the notion that “Spain makes decisions sovereignly and independently. No third party should tell us what to do.”
In the interview, Albares addressed the ongoing levels of settler violence in the West Bank as “completely unacceptable” and revealed that Spain has been communicating with Arab states that agree with his country’s view on the future of Palestine.
“The EU has made it clear that it is positioned in favour of a two-state solution,” he said.
Asharq Al-Awsat, Anadolu Agency
