The United States condemned the controversial remarks made by two Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who advocated for the emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and the return of Jewish settlers to the embattled territory.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller categorically rejected these statements, labeling them as inflammatory and irresponsible, as per Voice of America.
US Denounces Israeli Ministers' Gaza Resettlement
Miller reiterated the long-held US position that Gaza is Palestinian land and will remain so. He emphasized that the United States does not support the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza, making it clear that the territory should be under Palestinian control without the influence of Hamas or any other terror groups.
The firebrand national security minister, Ben Gvir, had proposed a solution to encourage the emigration of Gaza's residents, stating that it would be a morally just option. However, the Israeli government, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has not officially announced any plans for the eviction of Gazans or the return of Jewish settlers to the territory, despite the ongoing conflict since October 7.
The recent remarks by Ben Gvir were closely followed by Finance Minister Smotrich, who also called for the return of settlers to Gaza. He suggested that Israel should encourage the approximately 2.4 million Palestinians in the territory to leave. These comments come in the wake of the bloodiest Gaza war triggered by Hamas attacks on Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,140 individuals, many of them civilians.
The United Nations reports that, as a result of the relentless bombardment and ground offensive by Israel, 85 percent of the people in Gaza have been internally displaced. Human rights advocates in the United States are now urging President Joe Biden to end his administration's perceived complicity in Israeli rights abuses, particularly in light of these calls to push Palestinians out of Gaza, according to News18.
Israeli Voluntary Migration Raises War Crime Concerns
Critics argue that forced displacement of civilians, as suggested by Israeli officials, would constitute a war crime under international law and potentially lead to ethnic cleansing. Rasha Mubarak, a Palestinian American organizer, highlights the contradiction between calling it voluntary migration while bombing homes and starving the population.
The United States, while opposing any forced or enduring displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, has been accused of providing continued military aid and diplomatic support to Israel, thereby contributing to the conflict. Despite the growing pressure to prevent further atrocities and violations of international law, some experts argue that the US has not effectively used its leverage to influence Israel's actions.
As the conflict continues to escalate, renewed pressure mounts on the Biden administration to take decisive action. Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, called on the administration to repudiate the Israeli ministers' words and recognize the Israeli government's plan for ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
While the United States has stated its opposition to forced displacement, advocates argue that more must be done to prevent Israel's actions from making displacement inevitable. The Biden administration is urged to use its influence and leverage over Israel to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ensure the basic needs of the Palestinian population are met.
In the midst of this ongoing conflict, the international community waits to see if the United States will take bolder steps toward holding Israel accountable and promoting a just and sustainable solution for both Israelis and Palestinians, Al Jazeera reported.
