Fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza: President Joe Biden under pressure to act
Fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza: Biden under pressure to act
Statements from far-right ministers have reignited concerns that Israel may be pursuing a strategy to compel Palestinians to leave Gaza amid the ongoing conflict.
Advocates for human rights in the United States of America are calling on President Joe Biden to cease what they perceive as the administration’s involvement in Israeli rights abuses. This call comes in response to statements made by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, far-right Israeli ministers, who suggested promoting the emigration of Palestinians from Gaza, a move that has drawn criticism.
Israel has initiated a military offensive in Gaza since October 7, resulting in an estimated 1.9 million Palestinians being internally displaced, according to the United Nations.
On Sunday, far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich suggested that reducing the population of Gaza to 100,000 or 200,000 Arabs would significantly alter the post-war scenario. He called for the “voluntary migration” of Palestinians. The following day, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees national security, echoed similar sentiments, describing it as a “correct, just, moral, and humane solution,” as reported by Israeli media.
These statements are the latest instances of Israeli officials hinting at the idea of resettling Palestinians outside of Gaza. Human rights and legal experts have cautioned that forced displacement constitutes a war crime under international law and may amount to ethnic cleansing.
Rasha Mubarak, a Palestinian American organizer, emphasized that the term “voluntary” loses its meaning when homes are bombed, and the entire population is subjected to hardship. Mubarak criticized the Biden administration for not only failing to condemn the Israeli officials’ push for Palestinian migration but also contributing to the conflict by providing Israel with ongoing military aid and diplomatic support.
She said “They have played an immense part in this genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people”