by Our Correspondent in Washington DC
Mossad Chief David Barnea visited Washington this week to seek U.S. backing for a controversial Israeli plan to deport large numbers of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to sources cited by the American news outlet Axios.
Barnea reportedly met with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to discuss ongoing efforts by Israel to convince Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Libya to accept Gazan Palestinians. The Mossad chief claimed that the three countries had shown preliminary openness to the idea, but emphasized that U.S. incentives would be key to securing any formal agreements.
While Witkoff did not commit to supporting the proposal during the meeting, Israeli officials are continuing their diplomatic efforts behind the scenes. The deportation plan, initially floated by President Trump in early 2025, was temporarily shelved after intense backlash from Arab nations. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since revived the concept, tasking Mossad with finding countries willing to resettle Gazans.
Netanyahu recently confirmed during a joint press appearance in Washington that Israel is “working very closely” with the U.S. to pursue the resettlement initiative. “We are close to reaching an agreement with several countries,” he told reporters, referring to the plan as part of a broader “freedom of choice” strategy. “If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to. It shouldn’t be a prison.”
Nonetheless, critics argue that under current conditions in Gaza — where a humanitarian crisis has deepened due to ongoing conflict, displacement, and siege — the term “voluntary relocation” is a misnomer.
Israeli plans also include establishing a so-called “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza near the Egyptian border, where displaced residents could be temporarily housed. The proposal has alarmed both Egypt and Western governments, with fears mounting that it could be a prelude to permanent population transfer — a policy long championed by some of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners.
According to Axios, U.S. officials have made it clear that any forward movement on the deportation plan will require Israeli leadership in securing host countries, a task that now appears to be a top priority for Mossad and Netanyahu alike.
The debate over the future of Gaza’s more than two million residents is expected to intensify in the coming weeks, as negotiations continue behind closed doors and international pressure mounts over what many see as an attempt to engineer a new demographic reality in the region.
