UN alarmed by Israeli calls for forced displacement of Palestinians

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Websites
5 Jan 2024 14:29
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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights affirms that international law explicitly prohibits the "forcible transfer or deportation" of protected people from occupied territory.

Palestinians looking at the rubble of a mosque destroyed after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike at al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, early Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. (AP)

Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed deep concern over Israeli demands to force Palestinians out of the besieged Gaza Strip. He emphasized that such calls for forced displacement violate international law.

"Very disturbed by high-level Israeli officials' statements on plans to transfer civilians from Gaza to third countries," Turk said in a post on X.

Very disturbed by high-level Israeli officials' statements on plans to transfer civilians from #Gaza to third countries. 85 percent of people in Gaza are already internally displaced. They have the right to return to their homes. Int'l law prohibits forcible transfer of protected… pic.twitter.com/LMFxa9ur9N
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) January 4, 2024

He further stressed that "international law prohibits forcible transfer of protected persons within or deportation from occupied territory."

'Act of genocide'

Turk's remarks came in response to Israeli far-right Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's remarks last Monday, calling for "a solution to encourage the emigration of Gaza's residents."

This sentiment has been repeatedly announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Ben-Gvir considered that establishing settlements in Gaza after forcibly displacing its residents "is a correct, just, moral and humane solution."

on this note, Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, described the forcible displacement of Gazans as an “act of genocide.”

“Forcible transfer of Gazan population is an act of genocide, especially given the high number of children,” he added, cautioning other nations against participating in such actions.

“Congolese or other states’ officials will be guilty of aiding and abetting genocide if they agree to any transfer of population,” Rajagopal said on X.

Decisive stance of the Palestinian people

Since day one of the Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, the occupation entity's top officials publicly declared that one of the objectives was to forcefully displace its residents to other countries, most notably Jordan and Egypt.

This plan saw the Israeli army carry out the bloodiest aggression since WW2 on the besieged Strip, which included the killing of more than 22,000 Palestinians, most of whom are children and women, and the mass destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and other vital infrastructure necessary for survival.

Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas commented on the Israeli Prime Minister's remarks on December 25, saying his plan to pass a "voluntary immigration" scheme for the people from the Gaza Strip is ridiculous and aims to compensate for the Israeli war failure.

"Netanyahu is trying to sell illusions to prolong the aggression after he and his army failed to achieve their goals," the party said.

"Our Palestinian people affirmed their decisive stance by rejecting deportation and displacement, and that there is no emigration and no choice but to remain steadfast on our land."

Nevertheless, every effort to execute this plan encountered the resilience of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands among them steadfastly declined to vacate the northern Strip, opting instead to stay in their homes, even in the face of the catastrophic conditions imposed by the entity and the daily ongoing massacres.