UAE among eight countries to condemn Ben-Gvir's call to remove all Gazans from territory

The United Arab Emirates, along with seven other nations, strongly condemned remarks made by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Defence Minister Israel Katz regarding the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Indonesia joined the foreign ministers in denouncing "any attempts or plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people, whether within or outside the occupied Palestinian territory."

They emphasized that such proposals violate principles of international law, including humanitarian law, and pose a direct threat to the legitimate rights of Palestinians. The ministers reiterated that Gaza is integral to the occupied Palestinian territory and called for preserving the unity of Palestinian territories. They urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to prevent attempts to alter Palestine's demographic or geographic reality.

Ben-Gvir proposed illegally expelling all Gazans, stating his aim was to remove 250,000 Palestinians from the enclave initially, followed by the rest over six years. This plan faced rejection from Arab countries over the years. Israel's Defence Minister Katz mentioned discussions on the topic but emphasized it was frozen by the US.

The US ambassador to Israel confirmed there was no plan to force Palestinians to leave Gaza. Despite a US-backed ceasefire, Israel continues to launch attacks in Gaza, leading to the deaths of over 73,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023. The UN has concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza, and calls for resettling Gazans have raised fears of a new "Nakba," the term for the 1948 displacement of hundreds of thousands.