Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Wednesday that there was no plan to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, following a backlash after comments from several cabinet ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
The comments, made last week, were widely seen as a green light to the expulsion of Gazans living in the coastal enclave. In response, Rivlin said he was “outraged” by the remarks and “unequivocally” rejected the idea.
“I want to make it clear: there is no plan to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and there is no thought of such a plan,” he said in a statement.
He added that the comments by the ministers were “inappropriate,” and added that while Israel has a responsibility to protect its citizens and its security, “we must ensure a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike, based on partnership and dialogue.”
