Israeli Settler Leaders Welcome Trump’s Call for Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza

Ben Gvir said he'll rejoin the Israeli government if Trump's plan is implemented

by Dave DeCamp

February 5, 2025

https://news.antiwar.com/2025/02/05/israeli-settler-leaders-welcome-trumps-call-for-ethnic-cleansing-in-gaza/

Israeli settler leaders have welcomed President Trump’s call for Palestinians to be removed from the Gaza Strip, which would amount to ethnic cleansing, and are calling for his plans to be implemented.

On Tuesday, Trump had called for Palestinians to be removed from Gaza “permanently” before announcing a plan for a US “takeover” of the Strip. The White House walked his plan back slightly, saying the idea was for “temporary relocation,” but it’s unlikely Israel would let Palestinians return.

According to The Times of Israel, Israel Ganz, head of a settler Group known as the Yesha Council, said Trump’s plan amounted to “declaring an end to the Palestinian dream to destroy Israel through Gaza or the establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the land of Israel.”

Ganz said Israel would “adopt Trump’s vision today, and translate it into action” and called for the plan also to include the Israeli annexation of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. President Trump said on Tuesday that he was making a decision on the potential annexation within the next four weeks.

Itamar Ben Gvir, a West Bank settler and leader of Israel’s Jewish Power party, said he would rejoin the Israeli government if Trump’s plan is implemented. Ben Gvir quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government over the Gaza ceasefire plan.

“I haven’t sewn a new ministerial suit yet, but there is no doubt that the chances of Jewish Power returning to the government have increased,” he said. “The ball is now in the hands of the prime minister. As soon as we start and there is an intention to implement it – I’m back.”

Ben Gvir is a major proponent of Gaza and the establishment of Jewish settlements in the Strip. Nachala, another settler organization, called for the building of settlements if Trump’s plan is implemented.

“On the assumption that Trump’s declaration about transferring Gazans to other countries is translated into practical action, settlements should be quickly built across the entire Gaza Strip,” Nachala said.