The Biden administration said Tuesday that Israeli officials were being “irresponsible” in suggesting that Palestinians could be relocated outside of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich suggested Monday that Palestinians could embark on a “voluntary emigration” out of Gaza, as Israel plans to maintain a temporary security presence in the region once its war with Hamas ends, according to The Times of Israel. The Biden administration responded by saying on Tuesday that these statements were “inflammatory” and insisted that Gaza “remain Palestinian land.”
“This rhetoric is inflammatory and irresponsible,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement on Tuesday. “We have been told repeatedly and consistently by the Government of Israel, including by the Prime Minister, that such statements do not reflect the policy of the Israeli government. They should stop immediately.”
“We have been clear, consistent, and unequivocal that Gaza is Palestinian land and will remain Palestinian land,” Miller said. “That is the future we seek, in the interests of Israelis and Palestinians, the surrounding region, and the world.”
Gvir responded Tuesday that while Israel respects the United States and calls it its “best friend,” the country is “not another star on the American flag” and must do what is best for its people.
The relationship between the Biden administration and Israeli leadership has become increasingly strained amid disagreements over how Israel should carry out its counteroffensive in Gaza, as well as what should happen in the region once the war ends. The Biden administration is advocating for the Palestinian Authority to maintain control of Gaza, but Israel has rejected the idea.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden have disagreed on several topics over the course of decades, with Biden recently recalling a story in which he effectively told Netanyahu he didn’t agree “with a damn thing” he had to say, according to Reuters. Most recently, the two got into a heated debate over the phone in December regarding the Palestinian Authority, eventually leading Biden to tell Netanyahu that the “conversation is over,” before abruptly hanging up.
The State Department did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Jake Smithon January 2, 2024
