Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, posted on Facebook that Palestinians living in Gaza should permanently leave and immigrate to other countries, saying it’s the “right humanitarian solution.”
Smotrich encouraged the “voluntary immigration of Gaza Arabs to the countries of the world” on Tuesday.
“A cell with a small area like the Gaza Strip without natural resources and independent sources of livelihood has no chance to exist independently, economically and politically in such a high density for a long time,” he wrote.
This comes three weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the Israeli Intelligence Ministry is pitching the idea of resettling Palestinians in other countries, including Canada.
Smotrich further said that the acceptance of refugees by compassionate countries, on top of financial aid from the international community, including Israel, “is the only solution that will bring to an end the suffering and pain of Jews and Arabs alike.”
Smotrich added, “The state of Israel will no longer be able to put up with the existence of an independent entity in Gaza.”
October 7 fallout
Since the October 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel, and Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Gaza, it’s been reported that over 10,000 people have died in Gaza.
Israel identified Canada as a potential resettlement location for Gazans because of its “lenient” immigration policy.
“In our assessment, fighting after the population is evacuated would lead to fewer civilian casualties compared to what could be expected if the population were to remain,” a document from the Israeli Intelligence Agency states, as reported by CTV News.
The October 13 document allegedly proposes moving Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. From there, the ministry suggests building temporary tent cities followed by permanent cities.
