Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak during a press conference on June 26, 2019, in Tel Aviv. (Credit: Archive photo by Jack Guez/AFP)
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to "relocate" Gaza’s population outside the enclave, calling it "fanciful" and unlikely to be taken seriously.
Speaking to Israeli radio on Thursday, Barak said the idea appeared to be more of a political maneuver than a concrete plan. "This does not seem to be a plan that anyone has seriously considered. It seems more like a trial balloon, or perhaps an attempt to signal support for Israel," he said. "Many Israelis are very enthusiastic, but I think the feasibility of this plan is deeply doubtful."
On Wednesday, Barak addressed the issue in an interview with Sky News, making similar statements.
He also suggested that Trump’s remarks could be aimed at pressuring Arab leaders. He warned that the former U.S. president’s rhetoric might serve as a message: "This is what awaits you if you do not wake up, if you do not propose a practical path for Gaza, and if you do not help drive Hamas from power."
The former prime minister, a member of Israel’s center-left Labor Party, led the country from 1999 to 2001. He speculated that moderate Arab states might present an alternative approach in response to Trump’s remarks.
