Eight Arab, Islamic Nations Condemn Israeli Calls to Evacuate Gaza

The foreign ministers of eight Arab and Islamic nations have strongly condemned statements by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Projects Yitzhak (Yisrael) Katz, advocating for the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. In a joint statement released Sunday, the ministers from Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia warned against turning calls for forced displacement into an "announced policy or practical measures" aimed at expelling Palestinians from their land.

They asserted that these "incendiary statements and proposals constitute a blatant violation of the principles of international law, including international humanitarian law, and a direct threat to the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people." The ministers unequivocally rejected any attempts or plans to displace Palestinians, whether within or outside the occupied Palestinian territories, under any name or pretext. They cautioned about the "serious consequences of turning calls for forced displacement into an announced policy or practical measures aimed at uprooting Palestinians from their land," emphasizing that such actions challenge international efforts for peace.

The statement linked these calls to former US President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, noting its rejection of forced displacement and warning that pursuing such calls poses grave risks to regional stability. The ministers reaffirmed that Gaza is an "inseparable part of the occupied Palestinian territories" and stressed the need to preserve the unity of Palestinian land, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem. They reiterated that the only path to a just and lasting peace is through a two-state solution, establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant international legitimacy resolutions.

The statement urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to fulfill its responsibilities and firmly confront any attempts to impose new demographic or geographic realities in the occupied Palestinian territories, ensuring adherence to international law. The ministers also renewed their full support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their rejection of all attempts to erase the Palestinian cause or undermine Palestinian rights.

This condemnation follows remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew on Saturday, who categorically denied any Israeli plan for the forced displacement of Gazans. Lew's comments came after Ben-Gvir proposed a plan for 250,000 Palestinians to leave Gaza within the first year, with the remaining two million to follow over six years. Katz had previously stated Israel was prepared to transfer Palestinians from Gaza, awaiting US action to find destinations, and claimed 80% of Gazans wished to leave but were prevented by Hamas.

Lew distinguished between forced displacement and what the US administration calls voluntary departure, stating the Trump administration wants to offer Palestinians the option to leave, calling it a "disgrace" to prevent them. He asserted that neither Israelis nor Americans are proposing forced displacement. These statements contrast with various public Israeli proposals for Gaza's evacuation, while the forced transfer of civilians from occupied territories is considered a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. The majority of Gaza's population has been internally displaced multiple times since the start of the ongoing war in October 2023 amid widespread destruction.