Palestine This Week: The ethnic cleansing of Palestinians

This week host Nasim Ahmed and regular guest Mouin Rabbani examine Israel’s expanding policy of forced displacement, from the deportation of Palestinian hostages to neighbouring countries to Washington’s reported plans for population transfers.  Israel has deported dozens of Palestinian hostages to Egypt where they remain effectively imprisoned. Are these deportations part of a broader strategy of permanent displacement, especially as Israel implements restrictive new policies at the Rafah crossing that allow Palestinians to exit the besieged enclave but prevents their return to Gaza?

Over 150,000 Gazans remain stranded in Egypt since Israel’s destruction of the crossing in May 2024, while Washington reportedly considers relocating portions of Gaza’s population to Syria in addition to Jordan and Egypt. What do these developments, coupled with the presence of American military contractors manning checkpoints in Gaza, signal for Palestinians?

The ‘Gazafication’ of the West Bank is also accelerating, with Israel conducting simultaneous explosions in Jenin refugee camp, destroying up to 20 homes in a single neighbourhood last week. In addition to that, the Israeli Knesset has approved a draft law permitting settlers to purchase Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, signalling moves towards permanent annexation. These developments align with previously revealed aspirations of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was once overheard by British journalist Max Hastings speaking about using war as an opportunity to ‘get all the Arabs out’ and ‘clear the West Bank’.

On the international front, major developments discussed include President Donald Trump’s reported plans to withdraw US forces from Syria, the extension of the Lebanon ceasefire until 18 February and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Particularly noteworthy is the scandal involving incoming ICJ President Julia Sebutinde, whose position may be compromised by allegations of plagiarism and concerns about her ideological commitment to Zionism.