Israeli document suggests relocating Gazans to Sinai
By Nadine Osman
London (The Muslim News): On Monday, Israel confirmed that its Ministry of Intelligence had written a plan outlining three options for Gaza’s post-conflict state, one of which was for its people to be sent to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Meanwhile, 100 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed Monday by Israeli strikes in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza.
According to Haaretz, the letter was widely disseminated in Israeli media on October 13 just six days after Hamas launched a surprise cross-border raid that ignited the Gaza war.
In the document, residents have three options: remain in Gaza if local Arab rule emerges, remain in Gaza if the Palestinian Authority returns to the Strip, or relocate to the Sinai Peninsula.
The document indicates that the third alternative would achieve strategic results, is feasible and requires the support of the United States and other countries that support Israel to achieve their goals.
It adds that the first and second alternatives have significant shortcomings, especially in terms of their strategic consequences and their long-term feasibility, as neither of them would provide the necessary deterrent effect.
“Israel might initially relocate the population of the Strip to tent cities, to be followed later by the establishment of permanent communities in the northern Sinai,” the document suggests.
The proposal to move Gazans to the Sinai has been strongly opposed by both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
“The US has publicly and privately opposed such plans. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called it a “non-starter” after his shuttle diplomacy immediately after Oct. 7,” Haaretz said.
According to Haaretz, as recently as this past weekend, US President Joe Biden and al-Sisi talked about “ensuring that Palestinians in Gaza are not displaced to Egypt or any other nation.”
The Israeli newspaper continued that the Intelligence Ministry confirmed the existence of the document, but a source familiar with its drafting said the Cabinet is not expected to debate the proposal and that the ministry is not the government body responsible for such decision-making.
Haaretz pointed out that “sources at the ministry minimised the importance of the document. But it is initial evidence that Israeli government officials are examining exit strategies after Israel’s ending Hamas’ rule in Gaza is achieved,” adding that “the document acknowledges that the relocation of the population of Gaza would not gain international legitimacy but claims that it would reduce the number of casualties among Gaza’s population.”
Haaretz reported that “the Prime Minister’s Office said in response to this article that this is an initial document of the kind that can be found in dozens of iterations at all levels of the government and the security services. The issue of ‘the day after’ has not been discussed at any official forum in Israel, which is now focused on eliminating Hamas’ governmental and military capabilities.”
8,525 Palestinians have been killed, 21,543 injured including 3,542 children [one child being killed every 10 min] by Israeli indiscriminate bombings in Gaza. 1,405 Israelis have been killed including 375 soldiers and police, 240 held captive by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
4 more Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on West Bank, raising death toll in region to 130 since Oct. 7 according to Palestinian Health Ministry.
[Phoo: Injured Palestinians including children injured by Israeli bombings wait in Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah, Gaza on 21 10 23. Photojournalist: Ashraf Amra/ AA]
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