The enthusiastic reception among the Israeli public for Donald Trump’s Gaza takeover plan – that includes emptying the Strip of almost 2 million Palestinians – has offered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a political boost that he is likely to take full advantage of.
Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn said on the Haaretz Podcast, that « very sadly, the transfer idea is extremely popular within Israeli Jewish society. » He traces the mainstreaming of the concept throughout the years of Netanyahu’s leadership, and notes how October 7 acted as a catalyst.
One of the primary pillars of opposition to the « voluntary migration » schemes pushed by Israel’s far-right leaders has been the fear of international condemnation. Now, explains Benn, the American president himself eliminated that fear.
The fact that it was Donald Trump putting the idea of moving Palestinians out of Gaza on the table gives Netanyahu – and other Israelis – the ability to embrace the concept of ethnic cleansing openly.
« It was really unthinkable to have the American president calling time and again for ethnic cleansing of people, most of whom are not Hamas, are not terrorist and were not part of October 7. They are already suffering because of the war – and to just tell them to go away and never come back? This was really beyond belief, » Benn said.
Benn and Haaretz Podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer also discussed the precarious state of the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal, and the « very high » chances of returning to full-fledged war in Gaza. Haaretz Podcast