Illustration showing Israel's forced displacement and land grab plan in Gaza. Photo: MintPress News.
By Jessica Buxbaumย –ย Nov 3, 2023
Last weekend, Israeli newspaperย Local Call leaked an official Israeli government document recommending what Palestinians have been saying Israel is already trying to execute with its war on Gazaโthe forcible transfer of Gazaโs 2.3 million Palestinian population to Egyptโs Sinai Peninsula.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuโs office acknowledged the Intelligence Ministryโs proposal exists. Still, it dismissed it in a statement to theย Times of Israelย as a โconcept paper, the likes of which are prepared at all levels of the government and its security agencies.โ
Yet Israeli actions, circulating information, and international support all signal that this policy on paper is quickly transitioning to the policy on the ground.
From draft policy to reality
The document dated October 13 calls for Israel โto evacuate the [Gazan] civilian population to Sinaiโ first by establishing tent cities and then building new towns in northern Sinai. Following the resettlement, the paper recommends โto create a sterile zone of several kilometers inside Egypt and not allow the population to return to activity or residence near the Israeli border.โ
Netanyahu is already attempting to put this plan into action. Last week, the Israeli prime minister sought to convince European leaders to pressure Egypt into accepting refugees from Gaza, according to theย Financial Times. Diplomats from France, Germany, and the UK, however, dismissed the idea, citing Egyptโs strong rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
With that avenue failing, Netanyahu is nowย reportedlyย proposing to write off a large chunk of Egyptโs debt through the World Bank to incentivize the country to take in Gazaโs population.
โEverything that has been spelled out in this document in terms of the modalities is everything that weโre seeing right now,โ international human rights lawyer Diana Buttu told MintPress News.
The planโs first phase details Israelโs aerial bombardment of the northern section of the Gaza Strip and the moving of the population of over one million people to the south. The second stage outlines Israelโs ground invasion, beginning in the north and then taking over the whole region.
โCompressing Palestinians to smaller and smaller areas may just be the first of what will ultimately be the fulfillment of these plans on paper,โ Adam Shapiro, Israel/Palestine director for rights group Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), told MintPress News.
The controversial Intelligence Ministry document isnโt the only policy paper recommending 2.3 million Gazansโ forcible transfer to Egypt. Israeli security think tank Misgav (or the Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy) published aย paperย written by Misgav researcher Amir Weitmann on October 17, entitled, โA plan for resettlement and final rehabilitation in Egypt of the entire population of Gaza: economic aspects.โ Weitman is an activist with Netanyahuโsย Likud Partyย and reportedly a close associate of Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel.
The report calls for โIsraelโฆ [to] transfer as many Gazans as possible to other countries; Any other alternative, including PA rule, is a strategic failure. Therefore, Gazaโs population should be transferred to the Sinai Desert and the displaced absorbed in other countries.โ
Justice Is Non-Negotiable: Why Israel Cannot Destroy Palestinian Resistance
Misgav published the paper on X (formerly known as Twitter) along with a tweet outlining the paperโs central arguments. The post was deleted following widespread backlash.
The originalย tweet read:
There is currently a unique and rare opportunity to evacuate [sic] the entire Gaza Strip in coordination with the Egyptian government. An immediate, realistic and sustainable plan for the resettlement and humanitarian rehabilitation of the entire Arab population in the Gaza Strip is required which aligns well with the economic and geopolitical interests of Israel, Egypt, the USA and Saudi Arabia.
- In 2017, it was reported that there are about 10 million vacant housing units in Egypt, of which about half are built and half are under construction. For example, in the two largest satellite cities of Cairoโฆthere is a huge amount of built and empty apartments owned by the government and private parties, and construction areas sufficient to house about 6 million inhabitants.
- The average cost of a 3-room apartment with an area of โโ95 square meters for an average Gazan family consisting of 5.14 people in one of the two cities indicated above is about $19,000. Taking into account the currently known size of the entire population living in the Gaza Strip, which ranges from about 1.4 For approximately 2.2 million people, one can estimate that the total amount required and to be transferred to Egypt to finance the project, will be on the order of $5-8 billion.
- Injecting an immediate stimulus of such size into the Egyptian economy would provide a tremendous and immediate benefit to al-Sisiโs regime. These sums, in relation to the Israeli economy, are minimal. Investing a few billion dollars (even if it is $20- or $30-billion) to solve this difficult issue is an innovative, cheap and sustainable solution.
- There is no doubt that in order for this plan to be realized, many conditions must exist concurrently. Currently, these conditions are optimal, and it is unclear when another such an opportunity will arise, if ever.
Misgav subsequently publishedย another paperย related to Gaza entitledย Hamas Enjoys Widespread Support Among Gazaโs Population, written by Misgav fellow Yishai Armoniย onย October 19.
In this essay, Armoni details the considerable support Hamas enjoys from its constituents, writing:
Despite claims now being made that the majority of the public in Gaza desires peace and is being held captive by Hamas, data and evidence collected over the past two decades consistently demonstrates the opposite. Hamas enjoys widespread support among Gazaโs civilian population.
The paper then concludes โthat claims regarding the existence of a clear ideological or political demarcation between the majority of Gazaโs residents and Hamas are entirely unfounded.โ
While Armoni makes clear not to conflate civilians with Hamas militants, he does note that Hamasโ popularity among Gazaโs residents should be taken into account with โregards to decisions related to the military campaign, and to post-war arrangements in the Gaza Strip.โ
The Misgav Institute did not respond to MintPress Newsโ requests for comment on these position papers.
Israeli legal advisor Itay Epshtain explained on social media how the views outlined in Misgavโs recent documents are already translating into action.
From the people that orchestrated #Israel annexation of the West Bank and the ancillary "judicial overhaul" come these two position papers, which will likely determine the position on #Gaza. Premeditated grave breaches of international law in two steps: pic.twitter.com/gM6ZG1DnGd
— Itay Epshtain (@EpshtainItay) October 25, 2023
According to leaflets airdropped on northern Gaza from the Israeli military, anyone who doesnโt leave for the south could be considered affiliated with Hamas.
Furthermore, Misgavโs executives already appear integral in crafting government legislation. Misgav is headed by former Netanyahu National Security Advisor Meir Ben Shabbat, an influential figure in the Israeli security sphere and one of the architects of Israelโs normalization deals with the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. Misgav is also funded by Kohelet Policy Forum, now notorious for being behind the current Israeli governmentโs judicial overhaul plans.
The Instituteโsย founders and former chairsย are also entwined with the Israeli government. Former chairman Yoaz Hendel served as Israelโs Minister of Communications. Moshe Yaalon served as Defense Minister under Netanyahu. Moshe Arens also worked as Israelโs Defense Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister. Natan Sharansky served as Interior Minister and as Deputy Prime Minister.
The US is complicit
One of the critical points in the Intelligence Ministryโs document stressed the need for harnessing international support for the expulsion planโsomething analysts argue Israelโs Western allies are already doing.
On October 20, the White House sent a $14 billion fundingย requestย to Congress for aid to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine. The letterโs language has come under scrutiny for suggesting the forcible displacement of Gazans to other countries.
The letter reads:
These resources would support displaced and conflict affected civilians, including Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank, and to address potential needs of Gazans fleeing to neighboring countriesโฆ This crisis could well result in displacement across [the] border and higher regional humanitarian needs, and funding may be used to meet evolving programming requirements outside of Gaza.
DAWN slammed the White House requestโs language and called on Congress to reject the supplementary funding bill.
โThe Biden administration isnโt just giving a green light for ethnic cleansingโitโs bankrolling it,โ Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWNโs executive director, said in aย statement. โGaslighting Americans into facilitating long-held Israeli plans to depopulate Gaza under the cover of โhumanitarian aidโ is a cruel and grotesque hoax.โ
While the White House request acknowledged the possibility of Gazans being expelled during the war, US President Joe Biden has previouslyย advocated against this forcible displacement. The White House did not respond to MintPress Newsโ inquiries for comment on the aid bill.
โThe Americans are supporting Israel and creating the conditions on the ground that are catastrophic from a humanitarian perspective,โ DAWNโs Shapiro told MintPress News.
So far, the US has repeatedly rejected calls for a ceasefire in Israelโs war on Gaza. However, Biden recently advocated for a โpauseโ to secure the release of American captives held by Hamas. The US has also sent senior armyย officials to advise Israelโs military on its ground invasion into Gaza andย increasedย its arms and troops in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean regions. This has included shipments of armored jeeps and advanced weaponry to Israel.
ืืฉืจื ืืืืืืื ืงืื ืืคื ื ืฉืขื ืงืื ืืืฉืจืื ืืืืก ืืืขื ืืืจืืงื ื ืขื ืืฉืืื ืจืืฉืื ืฉื ื'ืืคืื ืืืืื ืื ืืฆืืดื. ืื'ืืคืื ืืืขืืจืื ืืฉืขื ืื ืืฆื"ื ืืื ืืืืืืฃ ืืื ืจืื ืฉื ืคืืขื ืืืืืื.
ืืืืฉื ืงืจืืื: https://t.co/IYPTj2lkyZ pic.twitter.com/szUOJzzvvu
— ืืฉืจื ืืืืืืื (@MoDIsrael) October 19, 2023
ืืืืืจ ืืืื ื ืืืืจืืงื ื, ืืืื ืืืกืืื, ืืืืื ืืืื ืื ื"ื ืืฉืจื ืืืืืืื, ืืืืฃ (ืืื') ืืืื ืืืืจ ืืกืื ืืจืืื"ื, ืืืืฃ ืืืืจ ืืจืขื, ืงืืืื ืืคื ื ืืื ืงืฆืจ ืืืกืืก ื ืืืื ืฉื ืืื ืืืืืืจ ืืืืก ืืืขื ืืืจืืงื ื ืจืืฉืื, ืฉื ืืช ืืืฉืจืื ืืื ืคืจืืฅ ืืืืืื, ืขื ืืฉืืื ืฉื ืืืืืฉืื ืขืืืจ ืฆื"ื.
ืืืืฉื>> https://t.co/IYPTj2lkyZ pic.twitter.com/4rgv0u6MuD— ืืฉืจื ืืืืืืื (@MoDIsrael) October 13, 2023
ืืฉืจื ืืืืืืื ืืคืจืกื ืชืืขืื ืื ืืืชืช ืืืืก ืืืืขื, ืฉืืืื ืืืฉืจืื ืืฉืืื ืจืืฉืื ืฉื ืืืืืฉืื ืืชืงืืืื.
ืืฆืืื ื ืจืืฉ ืืืืื ืืืฉืจืื ืืืืฆืข ืืฉืืชืฃ ืืื ืื ืืจืืฉ (ืื ื"ืจ), ืืฉืืืช ืืจืืฉ ืฉื ืืฉืจื ืืืืืืื ืืืจื"ื ืืืืืืช ืืืืื ื ืขื ืืฉืื ืืข ืืืื ืืืืื, ืืฉืจ ืืืืกื ืืช ืืืืก ืืืืขื, ืฉืืืื ืืช ืืืืืืฉืื ืืืืกื ืืฉืืจื ืืืจื"ื. pic.twitter.com/xZodTxX41y— ืืฉืจื ืืืืืืื (@MoDIsrael) October 11, 2023
Footage circulating online has also shown US-manufactured weapons containing white phosphorusย being used in Israelโs assault on Gaza. These artillery shells were made byย Pine Bluff Arsenal, a chemical weapons manufacturer based in Arkansas known for supplying white phosphorus ammunition.
Barak Mayer "To all those who doubted
when I wrote that Israel uses white phosphorus
in Gaza: this is a shell of white phosphorus
(M825A1, made by Pine Bluff Arsenal, USA)"[The IDF has claimed it uses white phosphorus
in Gaza not as a weapon, but for illumination/as marker] https://t.co/haiiGwNVbL— Marian Houk (@Marianhouk) October 30, 2023
ืชืืงืื ืืขืืืื ืืฉืื:
ืงืืืืชื ืืืืข ืฉืคืืื ืืืจืื ืืืื ืืกืืื ืื ืืคืก ืฆืืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืชืืื ื. ืื ื ืืืฉื ืฉืืืืืข ืืืืืืง, ืืื ืืืืจ ืืืฉ ืชืืื ืืช ืฉืคืืจืกืื ืืืืขืจืื ืื ืืืืืช (ืฆืืืื ื-9.10), ืขื ืืคืืืื ืืืืืืจืื, ืืืกืืื ืื ืืคืก ืฆืืื, ืืฉืืืจ ืืช ืืฆืืืฅ ืขื ืืืืืจื.https://t.co/KIcvRzi6X7 pic.twitter.com/rHCDipGSkR— B.M. (@ireallyhateyou) October 30, 2023
โThe majority of the world is opposed to this attack on Gaza,โ Buttu said. โBut still, Western Europe, the United States, and Canada are not.โ
Buttu described the US as โtotally complicitโ in Israelโs displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, saying, โThis is an Israeli plan that will be signed off on by the Americans, by the Canadians, by Europe, and so on.โ
Israeli policy papers promoting the ethnic cleansing of Gaza simply mirror what many Israeli politicians and media pundits have expressed since the beginning of this war.
A member of Israelโs parliament,ย Ariel Kallner, called for repeating the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians during Israelโs establishment as a state in 1948, known as the Nakba or โcatastropheโ in Arabic, except on a much larger scale.
โRight now, one goal: Nakba! A Nakba that will overshadow the Nakba of 1948,โ Kallner wrote on X.
Dror Eydar, Israelโs former ambassador to Italy, called for the complete destruction of Gaza during a live interview with Italian channel Rete 4.
โFor us, there is a purpose: to destroy Gaza, to destroy the absolute evil,โย he said.
As Israel continues carpet-bombing Gaza and as even a sliver of humanitarian aid struggles to trickle into the besieged enclave, another Nakbaโor arguably just another chapter in this genocidal seriesโis rapidly being carried out.
โThis has just been a continuation since โ48,โ Buttu said. โItโs just this slow drip to get people to leave and, in some cases, not a slow drip, but even a faster one.โ
Jessica Buxbaum is a Jerusalem-based journalist for MintPress News covering Palestine, Israel, and Syria. Her work has been featured in Middle East Eye, The New Arab, and Gulf News.
