Gaza, impossible things that are now legitimate
It's no surprise that Israel has shattered the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. For weeks, Israeli officials have been openly saying that "things" that once seemed "impossible" have become "legitimate," alluding to the possible expulsion of all or part of 2.3 million Palestinians from Gaza, which has been devastated by bombing. from October 7, 2023Hebrew media reports indicate that the United States and Israel are ahead of the curve and have established contact with three East African countries to host the refugees they will expel. These three countries are currently Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland, but the list is provisional and could be expanded in the future.
In February, President Donald Trump announced at the White House the idea of creating a Riviera in the Gaza Strip without Palestinians, an idea that in Benjamin Netanyahu thought it was brilliant. Since then, Israel has gotten to work, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich saying the budget needed to implement Trump's vision "will not be an obstacle."
As it was in 1948 when the Jewish state was established, Israel is pushing Palestinians to leave. For weeks, it has not allowed the entry of materials needed for reconstruction and prevents Palestinians from having electricity or drinking waterIsraeli officials believe a significant percentage of Palestinians will get the message and decide to leave, even if it's only in Somaliland.
The Knesset held its first meeting this month to facilitate this initiative, under the direction of a lobby called Land of Israel operating in Parliament. One member said that "Israel cannot remain on the defensive" and that Gaza must be rebuilt, not for the Palestinians but for Israelis who want to return to the Strip.
The next step: the West Bank
In fact, there has been for a long time a not insignificant number of Jewish organizations are preparing to return to the colonies which they abandoned in 2005, when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expelled the settlers from the Strip. The priority is on Gaza, but it is not a unique case, because the pressure groups operating in the Knesset are also thinking about the West Bank.
The activities of the Jewish settlers in the West Bank are continuous. They make life miserable for Palestinians by burning their homes or vehicles, uprooting their trees, restricting their movements, in preparation for a possible "voluntary" expulsion later. Now, with Trump, things that once seemed impossible no longer seem so.
The leader of the nationalist and religious Jewish Power party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has said that it is necessary for Israel to implement Trump's plan to force voluntary emigration now that it is a possible initiative. And other politicians point out that there is no difference between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, so the plan must include the West Bank as well.