Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has endorsed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to relocate Palestinians from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, stating that Israel is ready to implement the plan.
In an interview with Fox News aired late Saturday, Netanyahu defended the proposal, which has drawn widespread criticism from Middle Eastern nations and the international community.
“I think that President Trump’s proposal is the first fresh idea in years, and it has the potential to change everything in Gaza,” Netanyahu said, describing it as a “correct approach” to the future of the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli leader asserted that the plan does not involve American forces but rather relies on Israel’s own efforts. “Trump never said he wants American troops to do the job. Guess what? We’ll do the job,” he declared.
Displacement Concerns Amid Ongoing Conflict
Israel has maintained control over Gaza since its military occupation in 1967, later withdrawing troops and settlers in 2005 while imposing a blockade on the Hamas-controlled territory. Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, the blockade has intensified, and the region has faced widespread destruction.
Netanyahu framed Trump’s proposal as a departure from previous approaches. “The same old, same old — we leave, Gaza becomes occupied again by terrorists who use it as a base to attack Israel… It doesn’t go anywhere,” he said. “I think we should pursue it.”
However, the plan’s feasibility faces major hurdles, including finding a country willing to accept displaced Palestinians. Netanyahu stated that those who wish to return to Gaza in the future would need to “disavow terrorism.”
The proposal has sparked alarm among Palestinians, who fear it could amount to a repeat of the 1948 “Nakba” or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands were displaced during Israel’s creation.
Netanyahu, however, rejected claims of ethnic cleansing. “Everybody describes Gaza as the biggest open-air prison in the world,” he said. “Get the population out, allow them to leave. Not forcible eviction, not ethnic cleansing—getting people out of what all these countries and do-gooders say is an open-air prison. Why are you keeping them in prison?”
The proposal is expected to further escalate tensions, with international observers warning of humanitarian and geopolitical consequences if any mass displacement is carried out.
