Former PM Olmert Labels Planned Gaza ‘Humanitarian City’ a ‘Concentration Camp’
Former PM Olmert Labels Planned Gaza ‘Humanitarian City’ a ‘Concentration Camp’
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has issued a stark warning, describing a proposed ‘humanitarian city’ in Gaza, designed to house hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as a ‘concentration camp’. The controversial plan, recently advanced by Defense Minister Israel Katz, aims to construct the zone on the ruins of Rafah in southern Gaza, with residents reportedly prohibited from leaving once inside.
Olmert, who served as Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009, told The Guardian on Sunday that if Palestinians are deported into this new zone, it could be interpreted as ‘ethnic cleansing’. His comments come amidst growing international scrutiny of Israel’s actions in Gaza, with Olmert himself having previously criticized the military’s conduct and the government’s leadership, even questioning whether certain actions constitute war crimes.
The Prime Minister’s Office swiftly condemned Olmert’s remarks, labeling him a ‘convicted felon disgracing Israel’. Discussions regarding Katz’s ‘humanitarian city’ plans, including a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening, have revealed the project could take months and billions of dollars to build, though Netanyahu has reportedly sought ways to expedite and reduce costs.
The proposal has also drawn fire domestically, with opposition leader Yair Lapid accusing Netanyahu of allowing his far-right partners to pursue ‘extreme fantasies’. Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard has warned that Katz’s plan could amount to forcible transfer of a population, a war crime, and on a massive scale, a crime against humanity.
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