Indonesia calls for halt to Israeli proposals to resettle Gaza鈥檚 Palestinians

Indonesia's FM Retno Marsudi delivers a speech during a meeeting on the situation in Gaza Strip at the United Nations Offices, in Geneva. (File/AFP)
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  • Israel鈥檚 security and finance ministers are calling for displacement of Gaza residents
  • UN warns that Gaza has become 鈥榰ninhabitable鈥� as relentless Israeli bombardment continues

JAKARTA: Indonesia urged the international community on Saturday to prevent Israeli ministers鈥� plans for the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the building of Israeli settlements in the besieged territory.

Israel鈥檚 National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have repeatedly called for the emigration of 2.3 million Palestinians from Gaza, where three months of Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks have killed at least 22,600 people, wounded nearly 60,000 others, and destroyed most infrastructure.

Earlier this week, Ben Gvir told reporters that the war in Gaza presented an 鈥渙pportunity to concentrate on encouraging the migration of the residents of Gaza,鈥� which he said was 鈥渁 correct, just, moral and humane鈥� solution.

At the same time, Smotrich said that Israel 鈥渨ill permanently control the territory of the Gaza Strip鈥� and urged to move Gaza鈥檚 residents to 鈥渃ountries that will agree to take in the refugees.鈥�

The statements drew international outrage as the forced displacement of civilians from occupied territory is prohibited under the Geneva Convention and is prosecutable as a war crime.

Indonesia鈥檚 Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the ministers鈥� plans disregarded the rights of the Palestinians and were in violation of international law.

鈥淚ndonesia condemns and rejects the statements made by two Israeli ministers calling for the displacement of the people of Gaza as well as the construction of Jewish settlements in Gaza,鈥� it said.

鈥�(The) international community must prevent this agenda from becoming a reality.鈥�

Indonesia is a staunch supporter of Palestine, with its people and government seeing Palestinian statehood as mandated by their own constitution, which calls for the abolition of colonialism.

Israel鈥檚 relentless bombardment of Gaza for the past three months has destroyed or damaged some 70 percent of Gaza鈥檚 homes, according to last week鈥檚 report by the Wall Street Journal.

Most of the water, electrical and health care infrastructure that made the territory function is now beyond repair.

On Friday, the UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, said that 鈥淕aza has simply become uninhabitable鈥� as people faced famine and a public health disaster.

鈥淢edical facilities are under relentless attack. The few hospitals that are partially functional are overwhelmed with trauma cases, critically short of all supplies, and inundated by desperate people seeking safety,鈥� he said.

鈥淚ts people are witnessing daily threats to their very existence 鈥� while the world watches on.鈥�