Israeli foreign minister's call to eject West Bank's Palestinians condemned
Israel's foreign minister has been widely condemned after calling for the ejection of Palestinians from their homes in the occupied West Bank during a major Israeli assault launched on Wednesday.
Israel Katz wrote on X shortly after the raid began: "We need to address the [terror] threat exactly as we deal with terror infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians and any other step needed."
He later wrote that such a "temporary evacuation" would occur "in some cases of intense combat", during which Palestinians would be moved "from one neighbourhood to another within the refugee camp to prevent civilian harm".
The comments came as Israel launched its largest operation in the West Bank in decades. Drones hit Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas as troops opened fire on Palestinians on the ground. At least 17 Palestinians were killed, according to Wafa news agency.
"The Israeli major military operation in the occupied West Bank must not constitute the premises of a war extension from Gaza, incl. full-scale destruction," wrote Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign policy chief, on X.
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"The parallel drew by Minister Katz, especially on evacuating Palestinian residents, threatens to fuel further instability," said Borrell.
Later on Thursday, he told reporters that Katz's comments were "completely unacceptable" and said that he hoped EU ministers would speak out against it.
Katz hit back at Borrell, saying his comments included a "blatant lie, just like his previous falsehood regarding my statements about Gaza".
Katz wrote on X that he "oppose[s] the displacement of any population from their homes".
'Nothing temporary about forcible displacement'
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Israel's actions against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank were "a dangerous escalation that must be stopped".
"The region and its security must not remain hostage to the radicalism of this Israeli government. International law must be applied," Safadi said.
A former senior Jordanian official speaking to MEE on condition of anonymity said that Israel’s offensive and Katz’s comments were "the type of nightmare scenario the kingdom has been on the lookout for".
Turkey's Foreign Ministry also condemned Israel's actions in the West Bank, stating that the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government were "the main threat to international security".
Meanwhile, Humza Yousaf, the former Scottish first minister, condemned Katz and cast doubt on the "temporary" nature of the ejections.
"Who does he think he is fooling? There was nothing temporary about the forcible displacement and removal of Palestinians from their homes in 1948," Yousaf said on Instagram.
"There is nothing temporary about Gazans having to flee their homes as Israeli bombs rain down on their heads.
"The removal of people from their land, to be replaced by another people of different ethnic origin, is the very textbook definition of ethnic cleansing."
Since the beginning of Israel's assault on Gaza in October, there has been a marked escalation in violence and human rights violations in the occupied West Bank.
At least 628 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire and air strikes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem between 7 October and 27 August, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Figures from rights groups and NGOs suggest that more than 10,000 Palestinians have been detained, 1,000 displaced and almost 160,000 adversely affected by demolitions in the past 10 months.
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