MK Danny Danon of Likud has found the solution to the Gaza problem. In an interview with Kan Bet radio, he revealed that he has been contacted by "countries in Latin America and Africa that are willing to absorb refugees from the Gaza Strip."
Danon, who served as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations from 2015 to 2020, even sees this idea as a humane solution. "We have to make it easier for Gazans to leave for other countries," he said. "I'm talking about voluntary migration by Palestinians who want to leave."
Nor is Danon thinking only of the welfare of those Gazans who ostensibly want to leave. He is also concerned for those remain behind, saying this "would also make it easier for Gazans who stay behind, as well as for efforts to rebuild the Strip."
Without a drop of self-awareness, Danon gave the example of Syria, of all countries, as a precedent that proves the triviality of his solution. "This happens in every war," he said. "Look at what happened in Syria – 1.5 million people moved to Jordan, 3 million moved to Turkey and another few million moved to Europe." And for dessert, he preached morality to the Arabs. "I think the Arab states have a duty to help the Palestinians. They should have the decency to help instead of making inflammatory speeches."
Danon can insist as much as he likes that this would be "voluntary," but what he's proposing is a population transfer in every respect. Treating Gazans who are considering fleeing for their lives as if they were leaving "voluntarily," at a time when Gaza is being ceaselessly bombed, the death toll has exceeded 20,000, entire neighborhoods have been erased and the territory is suffering a humanitarian crisis – with no water, food or infrastructure but plenty of disease – is a sick joke.
The only desire that plays a role here is that of Danon and his ideological partners, who want to drive the Gazans out and return to the Jewish settlements evacuated from Gaza in 2005, or something along those lines.
Danon has been pushing the idea of "voluntary" transfer in the international conversation for some time now. Nor is he alone. A few weeks ago, MK Ram Ben Barak of Yesh Atid published an op-ed on this issue in the Wall Street Journal, thereby showing that the idea of transfer has gained a foothold in the opposition as well.
Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel also published an op-ed on this issue in the Jerusalem Post last month, and the Israeli Embassy in Washington was forced to clarify that this didn't reflect government policy.
Most worrying of all is that even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is discussing this issue. At a meeting of Likud Knesset members on Monday, responding to Danon's statement that Israel should set up a task force to deal with the issue, Netanyahu said, "Our problem is countries that are willing to absorb them, and we're working on this."
Netanyahu's radicalization continues. After he legitimized Kahanism and paved Itamar Ben-Gvir's way into the cabinet, he is now allowing discussion of transfer. But no matter what fancy diplomatic wrapping Netanyahu, Danon and their colleagues use, this warped, immoral idea must not become a legitimate option.
The above article is Haaretz's lead editorial, as published in the Hebrew and English newspapers in Israel.