DayofPal– Israel’s security cabinet has reportedly approved a proposal by Defense Minister Israel Katz to establish a government agency dedicated to overseeing the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to third countries.
The initiative follows the framework of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s widely condemned plan, which has been denounced as an act of ethnic cleansing.
According to The Times of Israel, the Israeli Defense Ministry outlined the agency’s mandate, stating that it would be responsible for managing the displacement of Gaza’s population “for their voluntary departure to third countries.”
This would involve securing transportation routes, inspecting pedestrians at designated border crossings within Gaza, and facilitating the necessary infrastructure to enable transit by land, sea, and air.
The ministry asserted that the plan would be implemented “subject to Israeli law, and in accordance with the vision of U.S. President Donald Trump.” Katz is expected to appoint the head of the agency in the near future.
“We are working with all means to implement the U.S. president’s vision, and we will allow any Gaza resident who wants to move to a third state to do so,” Katz declared.
Trump’s original proposal had advocated for the permanent and forcible removal of Palestinians from Gaza, envisioning the transformation of the enclave into what he described as the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
His vision entailed a fully developed, Palestinian-free zone under U.S. control and ownership, intended to serve as a destination for international settlers.
As part of his plan, Trump also suggested that neighboring Jordan and Egypt absorb displaced Palestinians, a proposition both nations unequivocally rejected.
Palestinians in Gaza have denounced the initiative as a blatant attempt at ethnic cleansing, while Arab states have instead rallied behind Egypt’s reconstruction plan, which aims to rebuild Gaza without displacing its inhabitants.
The approval of the agency marks a significant escalation in Israeli policy, reinforcing concerns that the forced expulsion of Palestinians is being actively pursued under the guise of voluntary relocation. The move is expected to intensify international criticism and deepen regional tensions.
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