Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that his country has no intention of deporting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Jnews.az reports that Saar stated this at a press conference held in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, on September 9.
According to the minister, if anyone wishes to leave Gaza voluntarily and there is a country ready to accept them, Israel will not prevent it.
Saar’s statement came after some members of the Israeli government voiced proposals in recent days regarding the removal of Palestinians from Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on September 2 that the relocation of Palestinians could be necessary due to the situation in Gaza. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir presented a plan on September 3 providing for the «voluntary relocation» of the Gaza population.
It should be noted that Gideon Saar’s visit to Slovenia was related to the opening of Israel’s first permanent embassy in the country. The head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry called the opening of the embassy a historic event in terms of the development of relations between the two countries.
During the visit, Saar met with his Slovenian counterpart Tone Kajzer. Following the meeting, a memorandum envisaging cooperation in education, science, culture, youth, and sports was signed between the two countries. In addition, an economic forum was held in Ljubljana with the participation of Israeli and Slovenian companies.
The opening of the Israeli embassy in Slovenia is assessed as a new stage in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Slovenia recognized the state of Palestine in 2024. Slovenia’s new government has taken steps to improve relations with Israel.
Source: jpost.com
