Israel's racist minister calls  for Palestinian expulsion, Gaza occupation

Israel's extremist far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the "occupation of the Gaza Strip" and encouraged the expulsion of its residents despite international criticism of such statements.

His remarks came in an interview conducted by Israel’s Channel 13 on Wednesday.

Ben-Gvir, the leader of the far-right Jewish Power [Otzma Yehudit] party, criticised the course of the Israeli war on besieged Gaza, saying: "My critique of the war's course is clear: progress must be made to bring about a resolution."

"The soldiers are doing an excellent job, but in the mini-cabinet [Israeli cabinet], you must give them [the soldiers] support to resolve it," he added.

Ben-Gvir expressed his hope that elements of the Likud party would not hinder the progress achieved in the war on the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

He said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Likud, is leading negotiations with the "There is a Future" party led by opposition leader Yair Lapid, "to bring them into the government at my expense."

"Gaza must be occupied. Stay inside it and encourage the voluntary migration of its residents. If we win the war, it will be practically accomplished," he said.

Ben-Gvir is known for his anti-Arab diatribes, and he draws inspiration from Meir Kahane, an American-born terrorist and a former Israeli MP whose Kach party was banned in Israel after the 1994 murder of 29 Palestinians praying in Hebron by one of his supporters.

Israel's religious references

This is not the first time that senior Israeli officials have issued statements calling for the expulsion and genocide of Palestinians.

Ministers including Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Knesset member for the Likud party Danny Danon have in recent weeks called for encouraging the "voluntary migration" of Palestinians from besieged Gaza.

"There are no innocent civilians in Gaza," President Isaac Herzog said on October 14.

"Gaza is the city of evil, we will turn all the places in which Hamas deploys and hides into ruins. I am telling the people of Gaza — get out of there now. We will act everywhere and with full power," Netanyahu said on October 13.

"You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible," he said on October 28. Netanyahu continued: "We remember, and we are fighting … our soldiers are part of a legacy of Jewish warriors that goes back 3,000 years."

Western countries, including the US [Israel's biggest ally], France, Britain, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia, in addition to the European Union, have rejected these statements, declaring that the expulsion of Gaza's residents is a violation of international law.

Arab and Islamic countries, including Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, have also condemned Israeli calls to expel Palestinians from their land, confirming that they represent a disregard for international laws and agreements and efforts to settle the Palestinian issue.

Israel killed 24,448 Palestinians and wounded 61,504 so far in its brutal war on besieged Gaza and displaced more than 85 percent [about 1.9 million people] of blockaded enclave's population, according to Palestinian authorities and the UN.