AP / January 26, 2025
TEL AVIV, Israel — Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both want Israel to establish Jewish settlements in Gaza, supported Trump’s remarks, calling it “voluntary emigration.”
Palestinians and many of their supporters view it as code for ethnic cleansing.
In a post on X Sunday, Smotrich called the idea of “helping (Palestinians) find other places to start new, good lives” great and said he would work with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to that end.
Ben-Gvir, who quit Netanyahu’s government over the current ceasefire in Gaza, said Trump’s remarks gave Israel the green light to move ahead on “voluntary emigration.”
“When the president of the world’s largest superpower brings it up himself, the government of Israel should implement it,” he said in a statement.
Netanyahu has said building Jewish settlements in Gaza is not realistic. Israel withdrew troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005 but maintains a blockade with Egypt on the territory.
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Trump suggests ‘cleansing’ Gaza – far-right Israeli leaders approve
TPC Staff
The Palestine Chronicle / January 26, 2025
Trump’s proposed plan to “cleanse” Gaza and forcibly relocate Palestinians has sparked outrage, with backing from Israeli far-right leaders Ben-Gvir and Smotrich.
US President Donald Trump has proposed a controversial plan to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Gaza, suggesting that Egypt and Jordan accept them as part of a broader initiative to achieve “peace” in the Middle East.
The plan, described by Trump himself as a way to “cleanse” Gaza, has received immediate backing from Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Trump, who referred to Gaza as a “devastated place,” claimed to have discussed the idea with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and planned further talks with Egypt’s President Abdelfattah al-Sisi.
Jordan’s state news agency Petra reported on the call with Trump but did not reference any plans to relocate Palestinians.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing”.
Trump continued by saying that over the centuries, this area has seen many conflicts, and that “something has to happen, but it’s literally a demolition site right now.”
“Almost everything’s demolished and people are dying there, so I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing in a different location where I think they could maybe live in peace for a change,” he said
He added that the transfer could be temporary or long-term and hinted at building housing elsewhere for displaced Palestinians.
The former president also announced he had ordered the Pentagon to release a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, which had been frozen under Joe Biden’s administration, emphasizing his “steadfast support” for Israel.
Far-right Israeli ministers openly expressed their support.
Ben-Gvir praised Trump’s plan, calling for Israel to encourage the “voluntary migration” of Palestinians. Smotrich echoed this, describing the mass displacement as a “great idea” and committing to work toward its implementation.
Both have long advocated for the ethnic cleansing and forced removal of Palestinians from Gaza.
The war in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, has already displaced millions, leaving behind devastation and one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history.
Between October 2023 and January 2025, Israeli attacks in Gaza resulted in over 158,000 deaths and injuries, most of them women and children, with over 14,000 still missing.
