Israeli min. proposes north Gaza Strip control, thus ethnic cleansing

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
3 Sep 2024 18:47
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After the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors, an Israeli minister seeks to revive Israeli control over the northern Gaza Strip.

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Israeli occupation soldiers gather on the Israeli-controlled side of the Erez crossing to the north of the Gaza Strip, in occupied Palestine, on May 1, 2024. (AP)

Israeli Minister of Diaspora, Amichai Chikli, proposed a plan for the occupation of areas in the northern Gaza Strip and the ethnic cleansing of its residents, during a cabinet meeting on Monday night.

Chikli proposed the establishment of another corridor extending from the northeastern line separating '48 Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories from the Gaza Strip toward the northeastern coast of the Gaza Strip.

The Philadelphi Corridor in the south and the Netzarim Corridor in the north effectively divide the Gaza Strip, isolating the northern region from the rest of the besieged territory via the latter. Just like corridors fall under the control of Israeli occupation forces, Chikli has made the same proposal for the northern corridor.

The Minister said that Israeli authorities should "retake control of the area of the northern boundary and move the perimeter fence to the south."

A map shows Amichai Chikli's plan for the occupation of the northern Gaza Strip, the area marked by black lines, while the yellow area marked with white lines shows Gaza City and its neighborhoods. (Social media)

This includes the entire region north of the former Nisanit, Dugit, and Elei Sinai settlements, which were liberated in 2005 by the Palestinian Resistance that forced a unilateral Israeli withdrawal under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

In current terms, this would include two large Palestinian towns, which are Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia.

According to statistics released in 2017, nearly 89,838 Palestinians resided in Beit Lahia while another 52,237 resided in Beit Hanoun.

A history of expansionism and occupation

In the early stages of the war on Gaza, Israeli military efforts focused on forcibly displacing Palestinians in these two towns southward. This led to widespread destruction and displacement in the two towns. However, as the Israeli military's focus shifted elsewhere, many Palestinians returned to their homes or what remained of them.

It is worth noting that Israeli talks of re-occupying the Gaza Strip and launching renewed settlement projects in them have seen an increase since the war on Gaza began.

Chikli's proposal goes hand in hand with the Israeli regime's expansive colonial project, which has been a mainstay of officials' policymaking since the occupation was first established. In 1972, "Israel" worked on dissecting the Gaza Strip via military sites and checkpoints, as well as Jewish-only residential projects, aiming to impose a new status quo on Palestinians' lives in the Gaza Strip.

Efforts of occupying the Philadelphi Corridor in the south and the Netzarim Corridor do not only serve strategic military purposes but also seek to re-impose Israeli control over the Gaza Strip and alter its demographics.

The most significant of these efforts are in the Netzarim Corridor where the Israeli occupation continues to demolish buildings and push residents northward, attempting to expand its presence northward toward the al-Zaytoun neighborhood.