Key facts
- Israel has rebranded its plan to encourage Palestinians to leave Gaza from "voluntary migration" to the "Freedom of Movement Plan."
- The name change is intended to improve foreign government cooperation.
- Israeli officials have admitted difficulty in finding countries willing to accept displaced Palestinians.
- Previous proposals included a "humanitarian city" within Gaza and "Humanitarian Transit Areas."
- A UN report alleged corporate involvement in the demolition of Palestinian infrastructure and construction of settlements.
Israel has reportedly rebranded its controversial plan to encourage Palestinians to leave Gaza, changing the terminology from "voluntary migration" to the "Freedom of Movement Plan." The shift, reported by Aljazeera citing Israel's Channel 13, aims to make the initiative more palatable to foreign governments and encourage their cooperation.
Israeli security officials and the Mossad have been instructed to cease using the term "voluntary migration," which had drawn significant international criticism. An Israeli official indicated that the country is interested in facilitating a higher number of Palestinians leaving Gaza to support future plans.
This rebranding comes shortly after reports that Israel's National Security Council head, Shmuel Ben Ezra, held an urgent meeting on the matter. However, Mossad officials reportedly acknowledged that they have so far been unsuccessful in finding any country willing to accept displaced Palestinians.
Earlier, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz had proposed relocating Gaza's population to designated camps within the Strip, an initiative that raised legal concerns. He envisioned a "humanitarian city" to house the entire population, with Israel maintaining perimeter control. A separate, US-backed proposal for "Humanitarian Transit Areas" was also reportedly discussed, though the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation denied involvement. A UN Special Rapporteur's report alleged that corporations, including Caterpillar Inc., have contributed to the infrastructure of displacement through equipment used for demolitions and settlement construction.