Israel's Ben-Gvir: 'Voluntary' Transfer of Gazans Is the Solution, Israelis Should Resettle Strip - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Sunday that mass emigration of Palestinians and renewal of Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip is "the order of the hour," as Israel faces South Africa's petition in the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of forcible displacement of Gazans.
The national security minister was interviewed by Kan Bet public radio on and was asked about recent comments he made advocating for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in 2023.Credit: Noam Moshkovitz / Knesset spokesperson
"On the subject of voluntary emigration… I think it's the right solution," Ben Gvir said. When asked about possible objections from the Biden administration, he responded "Nikki Haley supports it, it is voluntary."
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Last month, the GOP primary candidate's comments saying that Palestinians in Gaza "should go to Hamas-loving countries: Iraq, Qatar, Turkey, those three countries," when speaking to CBN News in December.
However, Haley was responding to a question asking if the U.S. should take in refugees from Gaza, not on the idea of mass emigration of Gazans. When asked directly on the subject by CNN on Thursday, Haley said: "I don't think you have to remove Palestinians from Gaza."
Ben-Gvir added in the interview that "I'll try to convince my friends in the cabinet and in the Government, let's try to take this step," Ben-Gvir continued, saying that "hundreds of thousands will leave now" if given the option.
Palestinians search for bodies and survivors in the rubble of a residential building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike, in Rafah southern Gaza Strip, in December.Credit: Fatima Shbair / AP
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated U.S. opposition to forcible displacement of Palestinians during his meetings with Jordan's King Abdullah and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
Last week, the U.S. State Department issued a rare statement last week, rejecting recent statements by Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling for the relocation of Gazans, mentioning them by name.
"We have been told repeatedly and consistently by the Government of Israel, including by the Prime Minister, that such statements do not reflect the policy of the Israeli government. They should stop immediately," the statement read.
Ben-Gvir rejected the U.S. statement, and said, "We highly value America's friendship, but respectfully, we aren't another star on the American flag."
He added that: "We'll do what's best for Israel: facilitating the relocation of hundreds of thousands from Gaza will allow those in the Israeli Gaza border communities to return home and live securely while safeguarding the IDF soldiers."
South Africa filed a petition to the International Court of Justice in The Hague two weeks ago, asking that Israel be investigated for committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
The petition includes remarks by senior Israeli officials, from President Isaac Herzog to Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu, which, according to South Africa, prove that Israel intends to commit genocide in Gaza.
Dr. Tamar Megiddo, an expert on international law at Hebrew University, noted that aside from arguing that Israel is in fact complying with international law, Prof. Malcolm Shaw, representing Israel, would have to argue that statements such as those made by Ben-Gvir have no relationship to Israel's official policy or what the army is actually doing in Gaza.