Washington - Agencies

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, considering it “capable of changing everything” in the sector, and asserting that it is neither a forced evacuation nor ethnic cleansing.

Netanyahu's statements about the plan

In a pre-recorded interview with journalist Mark Levin on Fox News, which was reported by the "Times of Israel," Netanyahu confirmed that the plan represents “the first new idea in years,” arguing that the residents of Gaza are not imprisoned in an open-air jail, questioning: “Why do you want to keep them there?”.

He pointed out that residents will eventually be able to return to their homes, contrasting with Trump's previous statements that claimed they would not return to Gaza after leaving.

Netanyahu avoids Israeli media

This interview is the third that Netanyahu has granted to supportive American media during his six-day visit to Washington, while he avoided speaking to most Israeli journalists who accompanied him during the trip, raising questions about the motives behind this disregard for local media.

International and regional rejection of the plan

Netanyahu's statements come amid widespread criticism of the proposed plan, as the United Nations considered it a violation of international law, while the Palestinian Authority and Arab nations rejected it, asserting that the solution lies in ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state, not in forcibly displacing the population.

Political and diplomatic escalation

These statements are expected to incite further controversy regarding the future of Gaza, amid increasing diplomatic escalation between Israel and regional and international countries opposing any attempts to change the demographic composition of the sector.