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Israel's new policy: Why is it considering transferring Gaza residents to the Sinai Peninsula?
A recently leaked Israeli intelligence policy document has attracted widespread international attention. The document proposes a controversial plan to forcibly transfer 2.3 million residents of the Gaza region to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. The proposal came shortly after Hamas attacked Israel in 2023 with the intention of changing the reality in the Gaza region.
Titled "Options for a demographic policy for Gaza's citizens", the document highlights three scenarios and argues that the current situation in Gaza is unsustainable.
Document Overview and Contents
The ten-page document, written by the Israeli Cabinet Intelligence Department, was completed on October 13, 2023. The document responds to security concerns raised by Israel following the Hamas attack and considers three policy options to address security issues in Gaza.
Option A
Option A calls for restoring Palestinian Authority sovereignty in Gaza, however this proposal is considered ineffective in preventing attacks on Israel and could result in casualties among Israeli citizens and soldiers. Therefore, this option is labeled as the "most risky" option.
Option B
In option B, the document considered establishing a new local regime to replace Hamas, but this was ultimately rejected as insufficiently effective. This has prompted policymakers to reassess more radical options.
Option C
The most controversial option, C, proposes forcibly relocating the population of Gaza to the Sinai Peninsula. The project is planned to be implemented in three phases:
- First, a makeshift camp was established in southwestern Gaza.
- Next, create an unidentified "humanitarian corridor".
- Finally, permanent cities were established in northern Sinai.
The document states that a security belt needs to be established between Israel and Egypt to prevent forcibly displaced Palestinians from returning to Gaza. The plan also mentions the need for a publicity campaign to promote the plan's acceptance among Gaza residents.
The document even mentions possible international support for future habitats, including from Egypt, Türkiye and other Arab countries.
Policy Response
The policy proposal was first revealed on October 24, sparking strong condemnation from the Palestinians and having a negative impact on Israel's diplomatic relations with Egypt. Many opponents equate the proposal to ethnic cleansing, pointing out that such a transfer strategy would not only violate international law but would also further inflame tensions in the Middle East.
Israeli government officials said the document was just a hypothetical "conceptual report" and had not entered into substantive discussions. Israel's prime minister also sought to downplay the proposal, claiming it was not a concrete reflection of government policy.
International attention
As the document was released, many international observers expressed concern about Israel's policy. Under international law, Article 7 of the Rome Convention explicitly states that large-scale deportations of people can be considered crimes against humanity. Whether Israel’s move could trigger a larger-scale conflict remains to be seen.
The introduction of this new policy may not only change the future of Gaza, but also attempt to influence the security situation in the entire Middle East. This has led many analysts who focus on Middle East issues to wonder whether Israel will continue to adopt a tough foreign policy in its future policies.
All this raises a question worth pondering: within the framework of international law and humanitarian principles, does Israel have reasonable security considerations to support such a radical policy?
