Over the weekend, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich claimed a plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza in line with President Trump’s plans for the territory would begin in the coming weeks.
“Preparations have started amongst our teams, alongside teams of the US President Donald Trump,” Smotrich said on Saturday, according to Middle East Eye.
Smotrich said the plan requires two components: “One is to find countries that can receive people, and two, it’s a huge logistical operation to take such a large number of people out of here.”
Trump has repeatedly called for Palestinians to leave Gaza permanently, which would require an ethnic cleansing campaign. Palestinians have rejected Trump’s plan, which also involves the US “taking over” Gaza, but Smotrich claimed they would want to leave.
“I think most of them will want to,” Smotrich said. “It is a process that is going to start in the coming weeks, even if it starts at a slower pace, bit by bit it will gather speed and intensify.”
Smotrich cited the massive destruction Israel has inflicted on Gaza as a reason why the Palestinians would want to leave and said it would only get worse after a “return to fighting,” signaling he expects Israel to restart its genocidal war.
He has previously said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him a guarantee that the bombing campaign and siege would resume after the first phase of the current hostage and ceasefire deal.
Arab countries have strongly rejected Trump’s proposal for Gaza and are calling for a plan that allows Palestinians to remain in the territory during reconstruction.
Sadly this is credible: both the Gaza and the Lebanon ceasefires are collapsing as we speak (Israel's fault in both cases).
Real people, not cattle:
https://x.com/Mo7ammed_jawad6/status/1891209833866473533
You know what's likeable about Smotrich? Nothing at all.
The zionist Smotrich is a finance minister and a hateful demon. He has no knowledge, nor any influence, over Trump's ideas and policies.
You keep covering the same stuff over and over, treating this crackpot Smotrich as a trusted source. No sale. Bad journalism.
"Bad journalism" Yet you keep reading.
I hope you are right about him, but it is worthwhile to keep an eye on him given his position inside Israel and the hatefilled majority of Israelis for whom he speaks.
Smotrich is pretty mainstream among the Israeli leadership, he's just saying the 'quiet parts out loud'. Listen to him, it's what the majority of the Israeli upper class are saying to each other.
He has no knowledge, nor any influence, over Trump's ideas and policies.
So, Smotrich can't read? Other than him saying it will happen "within weeks", how is his rhetoric different than Trump's?
If trump is so gun ho on his idea, move them to Florida.
Maybe that's why he's so desperately trying to acquire Greenland. 😜
Which countries?
How about relocating them inside Israel, where they came from?
Well, big chunks of The Pale, where many of the Israeli immigrants came from, is being depopulated as we speak. Not sure Russia wants them back, though.
WAR CRIMES, ring a bell?!…
Those are not war crimes when Israel and the USA do them.
The USA can do war crimes to save democracy around the world and Israel can do war crimes for the Evangelical Christians for Jesus to return there.
It seems insane but there are serious politicians in both countries that believe that 100% and even say so out loud.
I am opposed to kicking the Palestinians out of Gaza. If trump does it, which I don't think he will, than the Palestinians should be shipped to Yemen, Lebanon and of course South Africa. Some to Ireland and rich ones to Iran.
"I am opposed to kicking the Palestinians out of Gaza."
heh-heh-heh – 'No one gets out alive,' eh, tim-tim? heh-heh-heh.
Nonsense. If you read my comments in the past you would understand that I always said that once the hostages are return, Israel should leave Gaza and let the Palestinians run Gaza as they see fit. I believe that even stronger now that Israel has killed all the Hamas leaders of the Oct 7 attack. While the Palestinians in Gaza hold Israelis, I do not have a problem for how hard Israel hits Gaza. Just like WW2, the US Army flatted and burned Japan's cities until Japan surrendered. Once they did the killing of Japanese stopped.
The people of USA has elected a pro Israelian president who wants to ethnically clean Gaza. Which I don't agree with nor did I vote for him. If he gets his wish, I don't think it is fair to send the Palestinians to Egypt or Jordon. They should go to places who supported Gaza side of the war.
You're a hypocrite…!
Tim Burns? A "hypocrite"?
No. Tim is sincerely "opposed to kicking the Palestinians out of Gaza."
He would genuinely rather Israel murders them all there.