Israel to set up migration administration for Gaza relocation: Smotrich
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Jerusalem: Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced plans to establish a "migration administration" to facilitate the relocation of Palestinian residents from the Gaza Strip.
Smotrich, a far-right leader and key partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, sparked controversy with his remarks on relocating Gaza's population. Speaking at a conference organized by the pro-settler "Land of Israel Caucus" on Sunday.
At conference, Smotrich discussed US President Donald Trump's "Gaza Riviera" plan. The controversial plan, proposed in early February, involves a US takeover of Gaza, relocating its residents, and transforming the area into a Middle Eastern "Riviera." Despite widespread criticism, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers have expressed support for the plan, according to Xinhua news agency.
"Preparations are underway to establish a migration authority within the Defence Ministry," Smotrich said.
"Just to give a sense of scale -- if we were to remove 10,000 people per day ... it would take (about) six months" to relocate Gaza's entire population, which is about 2 million, he added.
Smotrich has revealed that there's ongoing coordination with the US administration to identify countries willing to accept migrants from Gaza.
In a move to counter Trump's proposal, which has been widely rejected by regional countries, Arab leaders have approved a $53 billion Egyptian-drafted reconstruction plan aimed at rebuilding Gaza without displacing its residents.
Earlier in February, 2024, US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he believes the US "will have Gaza," citing "US authority" to claim the enclave.
"We're going to have it, we’re going to keep it, and we're going to make sure that there's going to be peace and there's not going to be any problem, and nobody's going to question it, and we're going to run it very properly," Trump said during a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II.
The US President said he would like to see Gaza developed into lucrative property for resorts and office buildings.
(with inputs from IANS)
