BERLIN

Germany on Wednesday strongly condemned Israel’s national security minister for calling for Gaza to be emptied of Palestinians and saying Israel could resettle the war-stricken enclave.

The statements by Itamar Ben-Gvir are “an unacceptable provocation that the federal government clearly rejects. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” deputy Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer told journalists in Berlin.

“The federal government rejects statements and projects of this type. Gaza belongs to Palestinian women and men. The federal government rejects an Israeli settlement (in Gaza), this would not only be contrary to international law but also certainly harmful to any political solutions, including with a view to a two-state solution,” she added. ​​​​​​​

Ben-Gvir’s remarks came on Monday at a conference of far-right Israeli settlers near the border with the Gaza Strip to press for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian enclave.

At the event, which included the slogans “Gaza is Ours, Forever” and “Preparing to Resettle Gaza,” Ben-Gvir said that “encouraging emigration” of the Palestinian population from the territory is “the most ethical” solution to the current conflict.

“If we want to, we can renew settlement in Gaza,” said the ultranationalist leader.

“We can (also) do something else – encourage emigration. The truth is, this is the most ethical and the most correct solution,” he added.

The US has consistently opposed the idea of returning Israeli settlements to Gaza, a stance reiterated throughout the ongoing war, particularly after Israel dismantled its Gaza settlements nearly two decades ago.

According to Israeli news site Walla, such initiatives could complicate Israel's defense in legal cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, given that international law deems settlements in occupied territories illegal.

South Africa has already filed a case against Israel at the ICJ in December 2023, accusing Tel Aviv of violating the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. The court began hearings in January on protective measures for Gaza.

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 43,000 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 100,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli war on Gaza has displaced almost the territory’s entire population amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.