Netanyahu to Form Team to Look into ‘Voluntary Migration’ of Palestinians

Palestinians run for cover from a raid near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City last November. (AFP)
Palestinians run for cover from a raid near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City last November. (AFP)
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Netanyahu to Form Team to Look into ‘Voluntary Migration’ of Palestinians

Palestinians run for cover from a raid near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City last November. (AFP)
Palestinians run for cover from a raid near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City last November. (AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to form a team to look into the deportation of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to a Likud MK.

This announcement was made during a Likud meeting two days ago in response to a call by MK Danny Danon who is chairman of World Likud and former Israeli Ambassador to the UN.

The deportation of Palestinians is becoming more popular among the Israeli right-wing parties and to make it more acceptable they suggest that it is a “voluntary migration”.

Several Israeli plans have been made public, discussing the deportation of Gazans to Egypt. One was prepared by the Ministry of Intelligence and the second by the Psagot Institute.

Likud Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel published an article last month on this matter in The Jerusalem Post. The Israeli Embassy in Washington had to state that the article doesn’t represent the government.

Meanwhile, this suggestion sparked anger in Egypt and Jordan and the Arab countries took a unified stance against it.

The US Administration responded to Arab demands and announced absolute rejection of deportation of Palestinians.

Danon revealed that he has been contacted by "countries in Latin America and Africa that are willing to take refugees from the Gaza Strip."

Danon termed this solution as “very humanitarian”.

According to the MK, this is "voluntary migration of Palestinians who wish to leave."

"It happens in every war, look at what's happening in Syria – one and a half million went to Jordan, three million went to Türkiye and another few million went to Europe," Danon added.

"I think the Arab states have a duty to help the Palestinians. They should have the decency to help instead of making inflammatory speeches,” he added.

Danon said that a couple of weeks ago MK Ram Ben-Barak published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in the same spirit.



Sahel States Back Morocco’s Sea Access Initiative, Commit to Accelerating its Implementation

Morocco’s King met on Monday with the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (MAP)
Morocco’s King met on Monday with the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (MAP)
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Sahel States Back Morocco’s Sea Access Initiative, Commit to Accelerating its Implementation

Morocco’s King met on Monday with the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (MAP)
Morocco’s King met on Monday with the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (MAP)

The foreign ministers of the Sahel States Alliance, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, welcomed an initiative launched by Moroccan King Mohammed VI in 2023 to facilitate their access to the Atlantic Ocean, reaffirming their full support for and commitment to accelerating its implementation.
The Moroccan news agency, MAP, said the King received on Monday the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, and Niger, Bakary Yaou Sangaré.

The meeting came within the framework of the Kingdom's strong and longstanding relations with the three countries, ties that have always been characterized by sincere friendship, mutual respect, active solidarity, and fruitful cooperation.

MAP said the Alliance's foreign ministers welcomed Morocco’s actions and initiatives aimed at promoting the economic and social development of the countries of the region and their peoples.

“The ministers particularly welcomed the initiative launched by the King to facilitate access for the Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean, reaffirming their full support for and commitment to accelerating its implementation,” the news agency stated.

In 2023, the King suggested to launch an international initiative to enable the Sahel countries to have access to the Atlantic Ocean using Moroccan ports stretching along the Western Sahara coastline, a region disputed with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front.

So far, Morocco has not announced a timetable for the implementation of the initiative, which hinges on upgrading infrastructure in the Sahel countries.

Following the meeting with the King, Mali’s foreign minister said: “We expressed our appreciation for the Royal initiative aimed at enabling Atlantic Ocean access to our three countries, to diversify our access to the sea and to reinforce peace and security.”

Niger’s foreign minister described Morocco’s initiative as “a windfall for the three landlocked countries.”