Israel: Palestinian displacement from Gaza not under discussion

Israel is not holding talks with other countries about plans for the voluntary relocation of Palestinians from Gaza, an Israeli official said on Wednesday, underscoring that such an option was unfeasible.

“Israel is not negotiating with any country on voluntary emigration,” the official told reporters on Wednesday in response to comments by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionist Party and National Public Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, which made it appear that such an option was under consideration.

Currently, no known private initiatives

The official said he was unaware of any private initiatives about absorbing Palestinians into other countries, but that didn’t mean they were not occurring.

“We are not in the loop and have not heard about it,” he said. In that vein, he rejected reports about any plans to absorb Palestinians in the Congo.

Palestinians don’t want to voluntarily leave Gaza, and “no country wants to absorb two million people, not a million and not half a million,” he said.

Smotrich and Ben Gvir can discuss the relocation of Palestinians, but dramatically they can’t move on the issue, the official said.

UNRWA's role is expected to change

He spoke in advance of an anticipated discussion in the security-diplomatic cabinet on Thursday, which is slated to debate a "Day After Plan" for Gaza drafted by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and the National Security Council.

"Once it is presented, it will be published," the official said, explaining that one of the issues included in the plan will be the future involvement of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

At present, there is no other organization that is as effective at distributing humanitarian assistance but moving forward, other options are preferable, the official said.