Gantz, Lapid won't reject ethnic cleansing: Haaretz
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Haaretz writes that Trump’s plan to expel Gaza’s 2 million residents for a luxury resort, which was widely criticized, saw no clear opposition from Lapid and Gantz.
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Then Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz, left, and then Foreign Minister Yair Lapid speak at a cabinet meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in occupied al-Quds on September 11, 2021. (AP)
A report by Haaretz on Thursday highlighted that US President Donald Trump put forward what was described as a "crazy, deranged, perverse, and unfeasible idea" on Wednesday. This proposal, which would forcibly relocate the two million residents of Gaza and create a US-owned luxury resort for the world’s elite on their land, is, by any legal standard, considered a crime against humanity on a massive scale, it wrote.
According to Haaretz, the proposal left everyone in "Israel" stunned and people were initially taken aback and left wondering, but for the radical right, the phase of confusion was short-lived.
From Israeli Channel 12 political commentator Amit Segal to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, figures from "Israel’s" far-right quickly welcomed Trump’s initiative. Even the extremist Former Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has suggested the possibility of rejoining the coalition.
According to Haaretz, the reactions have been predictable, raising questions about the responses from representatives of the supposedly "moderate, rational, and liberal Israel elected to the Knesset."
Former Security Minister Benny Gantz's hesitancy on major issues seems to persist, according to Haaretz. When considering Trump’s proposal, Gantz described it as "an interesting thought."
Haaretz raises the question: What would Gantz have said if Trump had suggested enslaving Gaza's residents to forcibly build a "New Gaza"? It’s not unlikely that he would have responded similarly, calling it "an interesting idea."
'An unrealistic disaster'
According to Haaretz, even from a self-interested Israeli perspective, Trump's vision is reckless. It shifts "Israel’s" focus away from realistic solutions, like creating a more "stable post-war regime" in Gaza, and risks a long-term strategic failure.
Instead of a prosperous future, the outcome of such an idea would likely see "Israel" waking up to the aftermath of a misguided plan, with Hamas regrouping and preparing for the next wave of resistance.
The lack of a strong, principled opposition has left "Israel’s" political leadership, particularly figures like Lapid and Gantz, fumbling in moments of crisis, according to Haaretz.
According to the news outlet, their inability to articulate a coherent alternative or take decisive action leaves "Israel" with no clear direction, and it’s becoming evident that they are no longer fit to lead. It’s time for a shift in leadership, it wrote, one that offers more than empty statements and superficial consensus-building.
