Israel's 'voluntary transit' plan for Gazans faces backlash: A proposal to relocate to war-torn countries

Israel continues to push Palestinians to leave Gaza while enticing them with promises of settlement in unnamed countries. The latest development in this effort is the decision by Israel's security cabinet to establish a "voluntary transit" administration for "Gazans who express an interest in [transiting]" to third countries. Haaretz cites Defence Minister Israel Katz who insisted that such transfers would be in accordance with Israeli and international law.

Israel law cannot be trusted as Israel has, since 1948, made an unlawful practice of driving Palestinians from their homeland, while international law prohibits transfers of local populations by occupying powers. Katz's statement said this administration would "prepare for supervised and safe and controlled transit of Gaza residents for their voluntary departure." This would cover their route out of Gaza and enabling them to transit "by land, sea and air to target countries." Israel and the US have contacted Sudan, Somalia and Somaliland as potential destinations for Gazans who "voluntarily" want to leave their homeland. The Associated Press has said Sudan has rejected the US proposal while Somalia and Somaliland said no contacts had been made.

None of these countries is remotely suitable. Sudan is in the grip of a brutal civil war, nearly 4 million people have been internally displaced and a million have fled the country. Also in the grip of civil war, Somalia suffers from widespread poverty, and high levels of crime and violence. Kidnapping, terrorism, and piracy are prevalent. Somaliland is an unrecognised, de facto state which has broken off from Somalia. The fourth poorest country in the world, Somaliland is safer than Somalia but is threatened by regional instability. Clearly none of these countries are destinations where Gazans would voluntarily settle.

Donald Trump is the author of the absolutely unacceptable and improbable Gaza transit idea and plan, adopted by Israel. On February 4th, Trump proposed that the US would take over, administer, clear rubble and redevelop Gaza into a Mediterranean "Rivera." This would involve theremoval of 2.3 million Palestinian Gazans and their resettlement in a "permanent place" where, Trump said, "...they're going to have much better housing." 

 The US has resorted to impossible Sudan, Somalia and Somaliland since Jordan and Egypt have rejected Trump's proposal and Egypt has produced a detailed plan for Gaza's recon-struction while Gazans remain in the enclave. This would, of course, involve Israeli cooperation as it controls access to Gaza from land, sea and air with the exception of the Egyptian crossing at Rafah, the border city divided between Gaza and Egypt. Following previous full-scale attacks on Gaza, Israel made reconstruction difficult by barring the importation of cement and other essential construction materials. Consequently, recovery was partial and incomplete with homes rebuilt or repaired by some but not for others. Some relied on recycled rubble from destroyed buildings.

Citing Hama's refusal to accept the US plan to extend the ceasefire, Israel has resumed its war on Gaza with Trump's approval. Hamas has accepted the three-stage ceasefire plan tailored by Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden. The now expired first phase, called for Israel to halt its assaults, withdraw from populated areas in Gaza, and swap Palestinian prisoners for Israeli captives. The second phase mandated more swaps, a full Israeli pull-out, and an end to the war. he third stage provided for Gaza's reconstruction. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for extension of phase one as he rejects total Israeli withdrawal and the war's end. He has several reasons for opting for war. He postpones the day when he will have to face reckoning for failing to predict, pre-empt, and prevent the October 7th, 2023, raid into Israel during which Israel says Hamas killed 1,200 and took 250 captives. Although a majority of Israelis want to end the war and retrieve all their captives, Netanyahu cannot agree as his extreme-ring-wing coalition partners have said they would revolt and bring him down. Netanyahu is on trial for bribery, corruption, and breach of trust and seeks to remain as prime minister to avoid conviction and jail time.

Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff took Netanyahu’s side by proposing an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire with the focus on the release of Israeli captives while permitting Netanyahu to evade phase two and renew the war. Since the captives constitute Hamas' sole leverage against Israel, it is hardly surprising that Hamas insists on implementation of the three-phase-plan. Innocent Gazan civilians are paying the price of Israel’s abandonment of the three-phase plan with Trump’s support.

The return to warfare not only leaves Netanyahu in office but also gives Israel the chance to put pressure on Gazans to leave. This is Netanyahu’s ultimate objective which he has pursued by applying brute force. So far, force has not worked. Despite more than 50,000 deaths and 113,000 wounded, Gazans have flatly rejected removal. They are not ready to cede their precarious life in their beloved homeland while it is a war zone in exchange for departure to an even more uncertain existence in an unknown war zone in unstable East Africa.