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The Guardian
15-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Lawyers for Australian student who lost eye during IDF raid in West Bank doubt Israel will investigate
Lawyers for an Australian dentistry student who lost her eye after being struck by shrapnel in the occupied West Bank say they doubt Israel is investigating the matter despite the foreign minister, Penny Wong, demanding a comprehensive probe. Palestinian-Australian student Ranem Abu-Izneid, 20, was sheltering with her friend on 15 November 2024 at Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem, when she says a bullet fired by Israeli forces penetrated the window. She later lost her right eye. 'The Australian government continues to seek updates from Israel into the incident and has made clear that it expects a comprehensive, thorough and transparent investigation to be conducted,' a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Wong has called for a transparent review of the incident during talks with the Israeli foreign minister and the Israeli ambassador to Australia, sources said. But Abu-Izneid's lawyer, Lara Khider – who is the acting executive director of the Australian Council for International Justice (ACIJ) – said five months after her client was severely injured, Israeli authorities had not publicly acknowledged the incident or announced an investigation. The Australian government told the ACIJ in March that an investigation had commenced 'though no updates, timeline or findings of this investigation have been provided', Khider said before Dfat issued its latest statement. 'There must now be doubts – indeed, severe doubts – as to whether this investigation is taking place at all. 'Accountability cannot truly be achieved unless a thorough, transparent and timely investigation takes place and prosecutorial actions are pursued for unlawful conduct, extending not only to direct perpetrators but also to those responsible within the chain of command.' Khider also said Abu-Izneid deserved 'reasonable reparations in light of [her] now permanent disability'. Abu-Izneid said: 'We want to know what happened and why it happened.' She said the incident had been 'swept under the rug'. An Israel border police spokesperson previously confirmed officers entered Abu Dis on the day of the incident to rescue a citizen who was reportedly under attack. 'Rioters at the place threw rocks and marble slates on the forces from the roofs of homes and, in that way, endangered their lives,' the spokesperson told the ABC. 'In response, the forces responded with live fire in order to neutralise the danger.' But the border police had not accepted responsibility for Abu-Izneid's injuries, the ABC reported. Abu-Izneid was at the university in Abu Dis when she heard explosions and soldiers shouting. She watched her friend peek out a window of their dormitory building, she recalled last week from regional Victoria. Then she felt a strong push – as if a wall had 'slapped' her. When she regained consciousness, she saw her friend looking terrified, she said. Blood was spurting from her eye onto her friend's face. There was no time to think. They crawled to the kitchen, away from the windows. Abu-Izneid said she reached up to touch her face and felt it 'was clearly not … right'. It felt like 'strings' were coming out of her right eye as she grabbed them with her hands. Her friend called an ambulance – and though they were stationed just across the street they couldn't help, Abu-Izneid told Guardian Australia. 'They said 'we can't make it, the border police are still in the way, and if we show up they're most likely going to shoot us too'. They had to find another way to get to us.' Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion She eventually made it to Ramallah hospital and then over the border to St John eye hospital in Jerusalem. The Australian embassy sent a car to transport Abu-Izneid to the Jericho terminal border crossing on 19 November. She understands they were involved in talks to help her cross the Israeli border. But Abu-Izneid claims that is where the assistance from Australia stopped. She passed into Jordan on a special shuttle service she paid for herself. She subsequently flew home to Australia with her father. The ACIJ has claimed: 'The Australian government did not uphold a standard of care and responsiveness expected under the circumstances of Raneem's urgent and extraordinary situation.' Overseas consular staff can't provide medical services or medications and Dfat's Smartraveller website notes they can't 'pay for medical or psychiatric services or medications'. Abu-Izneid was treated at the Royal Melbourne hospital and is now studying at the University of Melbourne. Shrapnel travelled through Abu-Izneid's right eye and cracked the back of her skull, doctors told her. Shrapnel also lodged in Abu-Izneid's face and chest. Her right eye was removed in Melbourne but pieces of shrapnel remain in her face. 'You can see them from the dark spots on my face, and you can actually touch them,' she said. 'You can feel them. Unfortunately, it is going to have to stay with me.' The student previously completed exercises like drilling into cavities with precision. Now, without her right eye, the 20-year-old's depth perception has been hindered. 'I can't tell how far something is,' she said. 'I need help … to pour water from a jug into a cup.' She said her backup plan was to work in childcare but she now doesn't know if that is an option. Abu-Izneid said when her young siblings first saw her after the incident, they were scared of how she looked. 'They know that there is something wrong there,' she said. 'I have dark spots in my face. I have a few scars. It is quite scary for them.' The Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli foreign ministry were contacted for comment.
See - Sada Elbalad
09-04-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Israel Orders Closure of All UNRWA Schools in Jerusalem
Israa Farhan Tensions escalated in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday as Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian woman near the village of Haris, while violent clashes broke out at Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, injuring dozens of students. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities ordered the closure of all United Nations Relief and Works Agency ( UNRWA ) schools in Jerusalem within 30 days, as plans are underway to transfer students to Israeli municipality-run schools. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the Palestinian General Authority for Civil Affairs confirmed the death of Amana Ibrahim Mohammed Yaqoub, 30, who was shot by Israeli forces near Salfit, south of Nablus. Her body was found lying by the roadside near Haris village. Amana Yaqoub, a mother of three and a lawyer from the nearby village of Biddya, was reportedly killed close to Salfit and the Ariel settlement, an area dense with Israeli settlements. A video circulating online showed her body surrounded by Israeli soldiers, two of whom were seen covering her with a sheet. Israeli forces have expanded military operations across the West Bank, intensifying actions in the governorates of Tulkarem and Jenin. Settler groups also renewed attacks against Palestinians and their properties. The Israeli army launched a series of raids and searches in various parts of the West Bank, leading to multiple arrests and property damage. Armed clashes broke out in several areas, further fueling tensions. At Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, nearly 30 students were injured after Israeli forces stormed the campus and targeted demonstrators with tear gas canisters, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. In Nablus, Israeli forces installed iron gates and military checkpoints to restrict movement, while a drone attack in Jenin refugee camp caused a large explosion in the Al-Damj neighborhood. In a separate development, Israeli bulldozers demolished seven homes and several commercial, industrial, and agricultural structures in the West Bank, citing lack of building permits. Meanwhile, settler groups set fire to a wedding hall and spray-painted racist slogans near Salfit. In Jerusalem, Israeli forces delivered official closure orders to all UNRWA-run schools, giving them 30 days to cease operations. Arrangements are being made to transfer students to schools managed by the Israeli municipality. The operation involved a large-scale raid in the Shuafat refugee camp, where Israeli forces inspected staff identities at UNRWA schools and raided multiple homes. Local sources reported that four UNRWA schools in Shuafat, covering both elementary and basic education levels for boys and girls, were targeted. UNRWA operates key facilities in the area, including the Shuafat and Qalandiya refugee camps, the Indian Corner Clinic, and several other schools across Jerusalem and Sur Baher. The closure of UNRWA schools is expected to have significant consequences for Palestinian refugee education in the occupied territories, amid rising tensions and ongoing confrontations. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Arts & Culture Arwa Gouda Gets Married (Photos)
Chicago Tribune
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
President Donald Trump doubles down on plan to empty Gaza. This is what he has said and what's at stake
CAIRO — Behind U.S. President Donald Trump's vows to turn Gaza into a 'Riviera of the Middle East' lies a plan to forcibly drive a population from its land, rights groups say, warning it could be a war crime under international law. Trump doubled down this week on his vows to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians, saying they would not be allowed to return and suggesting at one point he might force Egypt and Jordan to take them in by threatening to cut off U.S. aid. Whether it's serious, a negotiating tactic or a distraction, Palestinians have roundly rejected the idea of leaving. Some say Trump's talk normalizes their erasure and dehumanization, amplifying the idea that they have no connection to their land or right to their homes. 'He is talking as if the Palestinians are cattle, you can move them from one place to another. They have no agency, they have no say,' said Munir Nuseibah, a professor of international law at Jerusalem's Al-Quds University. The plan Trump has billed the plan as being for the Palestinians' own benefit after Israel's 16-month campaign demolished entire neighborhoods and left much of Gaza unlivable. In its place, Trump has promised them a 'beautiful new land' elsewhere. The United States would then take over the territory and rebuild it as a 'Riviera' for the 'world's people.' Palestinians have made clear they don't want to leave Gaza, one part of their homeland that remains for them, along with pockets of the West Bank, after the Mideast's 1948 and 1967 wars. Despite Gaza's devastation, Palestinians have shown a determination to stay and rebuild with international help promised in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in many ways is rooted in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation — during which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled from or forced to flee their homes in what is now Israel — and the 1967 war, when Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza. Palestinians want those territories for a future state. The ambiguity Trump has left it ambiguous how Palestinians would be removed or what would happen if they refused to go. Asked by reporters at the White House on Monday if the U.S. would force Palestinians out, Trump replied: 'You're going to see that they're all going to want to leave.' At one point, he said a rebuilt Gaza would be a place for anyone — possibly including Palestinians — to live, and administration officials have said Palestinians' removal would be temporary. But Trump contradicted that in an interview with Fox News Channel that aired Monday. Asked whether Palestinians would have the right to return to Gaza, he replied: 'No, they wouldn't because they're going to have much better housing. In other words, I'm talking about building a permanent place for them.' In a post Thursday on his Truth Social site, Trump said Israel would turn over Gaza to the U.S. 'at the conclusion of fighting.' By that time, he wrote, all the Palestinians 'would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities.' Resettled how? Trump hasn't said. Fighting in Gaza has been paused a ceasefire. There are fears Israel could renew its campaign to destroy Hamas if the two sides can't reach an agreement over a second phase of the deal, including the big question of how Gaza will be governed. The ceasefire is already precarious after Hamas accused Israel of violating the truce and said it would pause releases of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then threatened to withdraw from the deal if the militant group does not release more hostages on Saturday. Forced displacement? With Palestinians refusing to go, Trump's ambiguity raises fears they would be forced to. Calls for a mass transfer of Palestinians were once relegated to the fringes of political discourse in Israel. But the idea has gained traction in the mainstream — the result of frustration from years of failed peace efforts, recurring rounds of violence, and the painful images of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the current war. Israeli leaders have talked of 'voluntary' migration. The Geneva Conventions forbid 'mass forcible transfers' from occupied lands 'regardless of their motive.' The International Criminal Court — where the U.S and Israel are not members — also holds that 'forcible transfer' can be a war crime or, in some circumstances, a crime against humanity. Forcible transfer was among the crimes that Nazi leaders were charged with in the Nuremberg trials after World War II. It was also among the acts for which some Bosnian Serb leaders were convicted by a U.N. tribunal over atrocities during the 1990s Balkan wars. Adam Coogle, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East & North Africa Division, said he didn't know if Trump's statements would turn into policy, 'but the statement of intent is very concerning.' 'The moving out of the entire Palestinian population, any movement of a people in occupied territory out of that territory, is forced displacement,' he said. If done with intent, he said, it could be a war crime. Amnesty International echoed that, saying forcibly expelling Palestinians is a war crime and could be a crime against humanity. Nuseibah pointed to rulings by the U.N. court for the former Yugoslavia and other international bodies saying that 'any type of pressure or duress' to leave constitutes forcible transfer. 'It doesn't have to be at gunpoint,' he said. Asked by a reporter Tuesday about criticism that moving Palestinians out of Gaza could be 'ethnic cleansing,' Trump did not directly answer, repeating that they would go to 'a beautiful location, where they will have new homes and can live safely.' The White House pointed to those comments when asked specifically about the potential that the permanent relocation of Palestinians is a war crime. The response Many Palestinians have been staggered that Trump takes it on himself to speak on their behalf. 'Why don't they just ask us what we want?' said Nuseibah. 'It is dehumanizing.' Raji Sourani, a leading rights lawyer from Gaza, said Trump's stance was 'Kafkaesque.' 'This is the first time ever in history that the president of the United States speaks publicly and frankly to commit one of the most serious crimes,' said Sourani, who left Gaza for Egypt after Israeli airstrikes destroyed his home in the early days of the war. Sourani accused Trump of aiming to 'complete the genocide' he said was begun by Israel. The International Court of Justice is considering arguments that Israel's campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide. Israel denies the accusation, saying it is acting in self-defense to destroy Hamas. As proof of their commitment to stay, Palestinians point to the flood of hundreds of thousands of people returning to homes in Gaza under the ceasefire — even to ones that were destroyed. On Monday, Hatem Mohammed set up a tarp to shelter his family from a cold rain on the ruins of their destroyed home. Their home lies in the so-called Netzarim corridor, a strip of land where troops leveled large areas to create a closed military zone during the war, before their withdrawal over the weekend. 'This is our land, this is our identity and that of our fathers and grandfathers,' Mohammed said. 'Trump wants to deny our identity. No, our identity remains.'
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump doubles down on plan to empty Gaza. This is what he has said and what's at stake
CAIRO (AP) — Behind U.S. President Donald Trump's vows to turn Gaza into a 'Riviera of the Middle East' lies a plan to forcibly drive a population from its land, rights groups say, warning it could be a war crime under international law. Trump doubled down this week on his vows to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians, saying they would not be allowed to return and suggesting at one point he might force Egypt and Jordan to take them in by threatening to cut off U.S. aid. Whether it's serious, a negotiating tactic or a distraction, Palestinians have roundly rejected the idea of leaving. Some say Trump's talk normalizes their erasure and dehumanization, amplifying the idea that they have no connection to their land or right to their homes. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'He is talking as if the Palestinians are cattle, you can move them from one place to another. They have no agency, they have no say,' said Munir Nuseibah, a professor of international law at Jerusalem's Al-Quds University. The plan Trump has billed the plan as being for the Palestinians' own benefit after Israel's 16-month campaign demolished entire neighborhoods and left much of Gaza unlivable. In its place, Trump has promised them a 'beautiful new land' elsewhere. The United States would then take over the territory and rebuild it as a 'Riviera' for the 'world's people.' Palestinians have made clear they don't want to leave Gaza, one part of their homeland that remains for them, along with pockets of the West Bank, after the Mideast's 1948 and 1967 wars. Despite Gaza's devastation, Palestinians have shown a determination to stay and rebuild with international help promised in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in many ways is rooted in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation — during which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled from or forced to flee their homes in what is now Israel — and the 1967 war, when Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza. Palestinians want those territories for a future state. The ambiguity Trump has left it ambiguous how Palestinians would be removed or what would happen if they refused to go. Asked by reporters at the White House on Monday if the U.S. would force Palestinians out, Trump replied: 'You're going to see that they're all going to want to leave.' At one point, he said a rebuilt Gaza would be a place for anyone — possibly including Palestinians — to live, and administration officials have said Palestinians' removal would be temporary. But Trump contradicted that in an interview with Fox News Channel that aired Monday. Asked whether Palestinians would have the right to return to Gaza, he replied: 'No, they wouldn't because they're going to have much better housing. In other words, I'm talking about building a permanent place for them.' In a post Thursday on his Truth Social site, Trump said Israel would turn over Gaza to the U.S. 'at the conclusion of fighting.' By that time, he wrote, all the Palestinians 'would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities.' Resettled how? Trump hasn't said. Fighting in Gaza has been paused a ceasefire. There are fears Israel could renew its campaign to destroy Hamas if the two sides can't reach an agreement over a second phase of the deal, including the big question of how Gaza will be governed. The ceasefire is already precarious after Hamas accused Israel of violating the truce and said it would pause releases of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then threatened to withdraw from the deal if the militant group does not release more hostages on Saturday. Forced displacement? With Palestinians refusing to go, Trump's ambiguity raises fears they would be forced to. Calls for a mass transfer of Palestinians were once relegated to the fringes of political discourse in Israel. But the idea has gained traction in the mainstream — the result of frustration from years of failed peace efforts, recurring rounds of violence, and the painful images of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the current war. Israeli leaders have talked of 'voluntary' migration. The Geneva Conventions forbid 'mass forcible transfers' from occupied lands 'regardless of their motive.' The International Criminal Court — where the U.S and Israel are not members — also holds that 'forcible transfer' can be a war crime or, in some circumstances, a crime against humanity. Forcible transfer was among the crimes that Nazi leaders were charged with in the Nuremberg trials after World War II. It was also among the acts for which some Bosnian Serb leaders were convicted by a U.N. tribunal over atrocities during the 1990s Balkan wars. Adam Coogle, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East & North Africa Division, said he didn't know if Trump's statements would turn into policy, 'but the statement of intent is very concerning.' 'The moving out of the entire Palestinian population, any movement of a people in occupied territory out of that territory, is forced displacement,' he said. If done with intent, he said, it could be a war crime. Amnesty International echoed that, saying forcibly expelling Palestinians is a war crime and could be a crime against humanity. Nuseibah pointed to rulings by the U.N. court for the former Yugoslavia and other international bodies saying that 'any type of pressure or duress' to leave constitutes forcible transfer. 'It doesn't have to be at gunpoint,' he said. Asked by a reporter Tuesday about criticism that moving Palestinians out of Gaza could be 'ethnic cleansing,' Trump did not directly answer, repeating that they would go to 'a beautiful location, where they will have new homes and can live safely.' The White House pointed to those comments when asked specifically about the potential that the permanent relocation of Palestinians is a war crime. The response Many Palestinians have been staggered that Trump takes it on himself to speak on their behalf. 'Why don't they just ask us what we want?' said Nuseibah. 'It is dehumanizing.' Raji Sourani, a leading rights lawyer from Gaza, said Trump's stance was 'Kafkaesque.' 'This is the first time ever in history that the president of the United States speaks publicly and frankly to commit one of the most serious crimes,' said Sourani, who left Gaza for Egypt after Israeli airstrikes destroyed his home in the early days of the war. Sourani accused Trump of aiming to 'complete the genocide' he said was begun by Israel. The International Court of Justice is considering arguments that Israel's campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide. Israel denies the accusation, saying it is acting in self-defense to destroy Hamas. As proof of their commitment to stay, Palestinians point to the flood of hundreds of thousands of people returning to homes in Gaza under the ceasefire — even to ones that were destroyed. On Monday, Hatem Mohammed set up a tarp to shelter his family from a cold rain on the ruins of their destroyed home. Their home lies in the so-called Netzarim corridor, a strip of land where troops leveled large areas to create a closed military zone during the war, before their withdrawal over the weekend. 'This is our land, this is our identity and that of our fathers and grandfathers,' Mohammed said. 'Trump wants to deny our identity. No, our identity remains.' ___ Associated Press journalists Omar Akour in Amman, Jordan, and Mohammed Jahjouh in Mughraqa, Gaza Strip, contributed.
Associated Press
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Trump doubles down on plan to empty Gaza. This is what he has said and what's at stake
CAIRO (AP) — Behind U.S. President Donald Trump's vows to turn Gaza into a 'Riviera of the Middle East' lies a plan to forcibly drive a population from its land, rights groups say, warning it could be a war crime under international law. Trump doubled down this week on his vows to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians, saying they would not be allowed to return and suggesting at one point he might force Egypt and Jordan to take them in by threatening to cut off U.S. aid. Whether it's serious, a negotiating tactic or a distraction, Palestinians have roundly rejected the idea of leaving. Some say Trump's talk normalizes their erasure and dehumanization, amplifying the idea that they have no connection to their land or right to their homes. 'He is talking as if the Palestinians are cattle, you can move them from one place to another. They have no agency, they have no say,' said Munir Nuseibah, a professor of international law at Jerusalem's Al-Quds University. The plan Trump has billed the plan as being for the Palestinians' own benefit after Israel's 16-month campaign demolished entire neighborhoods and left much of Gaza unlivable. In its place, Trump has promised them a 'beautiful new land' elsewhere. The United States would then take over the territory and rebuild it as a 'Riviera' for the 'world's people.' Palestinians have made clear they don't want to leave Gaza, one part of their homeland that remains for them, along with pockets of the West Bank, after the Mideast's 1948 and 1967 wars. Despite Gaza's devastation, Palestinians have shown a determination to stay and rebuild with international help promised in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in many ways is rooted in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation — during which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled from or forced to flee their homes in what is now Israel — and the 1967 war, when Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza. Palestinians want those territories for a future state. The ambiguity Trump has left it ambiguous how Palestinians would be removed or what would happen if they refused to go. Asked by reporters at the White House on Monday if the U.S. would force Palestinians out, Trump replied: 'You're going to see that they're all going to want to leave.' At one point, he said a rebuilt Gaza would be a place for anyone — possibly including Palestinians — to live, and administration officials have said Palestinians' removal would be temporary. But Trump contradicted that in an interview with Fox News Channel that aired Monday. Asked whether Palestinians would have the right to return to Gaza, he replied: 'No, they wouldn't because they're going to have much better housing. In other words, I'm talking about building a permanent place for them.' In a post Thursday on his Truth Social site, Trump said Israel would turn over Gaza to the U.S. 'at the conclusion of fighting.' By that time, he wrote, all the Palestinians 'would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities.' Resettled how? Trump hasn't said. Fighting in Gaza has been paused a ceasefire. There are fears Israel could renew its campaign to destroy Hamas if the two sides can't reach an agreement over a second phase of the deal, including the big question of how Gaza will be governed. The ceasefire is already precarious after Hamas accused Israel of violating the truce and said it would pause releases of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then threatened to withdraw from the deal if the militant group does not release more hostages on Saturday. Forced displacement? With Palestinians refusing to go, Trump's ambiguity raises fears they would be forced to. Calls for a mass transfer of Palestinians were once relegated to the fringes of political discourse in Israel. But the idea has gained traction in the mainstream — the result of frustration from years of failed peace efforts, recurring rounds of violence, and the painful images of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the current war. Israeli leaders have talked of 'voluntary' migration. The Geneva Conventions forbid 'mass forcible transfers' from occupied lands 'regardless of their motive.' The International Criminal Court — where the U.S and Israel are not members — also holds that 'forcible transfer' can be a war crime or, in some circumstances, a crime against humanity. Forcible transfer was among the crimes that Nazi leaders were charged with in the Nuremberg trials after World War II. It was also among the acts for which some Bosnian Serb leaders were convicted by a U.N. tribunal over atrocities during the 1990s Balkan wars. Adam Coogle, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East & North Africa Division, said he didn't know if Trump's statements would turn into policy, 'but the statement of intent is very concerning.' 'The moving out of the entire Palestinian population, any movement of a people in occupied territory out of that territory, is forced displacement,' he said. If done with intent, he said, it could be a war crime. Amnesty International echoed that, saying forcibly expelling Palestinians is a war crime and could be a crime against humanity. Nuseibah pointed to rulings by the U.N. court for the former Yugoslavia and other international bodies saying that 'any type of pressure or duress' to leave constitutes forcible transfer. 'It doesn't have to be at gunpoint,' he said. Asked by a reporter Tuesday about criticism that moving Palestinians out of Gaza could be 'ethnic cleansing,' Trump did not directly answer, repeating that they would go to 'a beautiful location, where they will have new homes and can live safely.' The White House pointed to those comments when asked specifically about the potential that the permanent relocation of Palestinians is a war crime. The response Many Palestinians have been staggered that Trump takes it on himself to speak on their behalf. 'Why don't they just ask us what we want?' said Nuseibah. 'It is dehumanizing.' Raji Sourani, a leading rights lawyer from Gaza, said Trump's stance was 'Kafkaesque.' 'This is the first time ever in history that the president of the United States speaks publicly and frankly to commit one of the most serious crimes,' said Sourani, who left Gaza for Egypt after Israeli airstrikes destroyed his home in the early days of the war. Sourani accused Trump of aiming to 'complete the genocide' he said was begun by Israel. The International Court of Justice is considering arguments that Israel's campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide. Israel denies the accusation, saying it is acting in self-defense to destroy Hamas. As proof of their commitment to stay, Palestinians point to the flood of hundreds of thousands of people returning to homes in Gaza under the ceasefire — even to ones that were destroyed. On Monday, Hatem Mohammed set up a tarp to shelter his family from a cold rain on the ruins of their destroyed home. Their home lies in the so-called Netzarim corridor, a strip of land where troops leveled large areas to create a closed military zone during the war, before their withdrawal over the weekend. 'This is our land, this is our identity and that of our fathers and grandfathers,' Mohammed said. 'Trump wants to deny our identity. No, our identity remains.'
