We are publishing below a policy paper from the Israeli Ministry of Intelligence assessing three options for the future of Gaza. It was written under the authority of Minister Gila Gamliel and is entitled “Options for a policy regarding Gaza’s civilian population.” It proposes forcibly transferring Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
The Ministry of Intelligence is a think tank and a forward-looking body. It does not exert authority over the Intelligence agencies, but relies on them to carry out its policies.
The document was leaked to certain participants at the Cairo Conference on the Palestinian question. In retrospect, we understand why Arab heads of state have continued to refer to the 1969 Arab League resolution equating the transfer of the Palestinians with the annihilation of their struggle, thereby condemning it.
The three options are:
– Maintaining the population in Gaza under the sovereignty of the Palestinian Authority;
– Maintaining the population in Gaza under a new local authority;
– The evacuation of the Gazan population to the Egyptian Sinai.
Each option is studied from three perspectives:
– Its feasibility;
– Its legitimacy (N.B. At no time does this note refer to international law); and
– Its ideological influence.
The third option is presented as “a clear victory for Israel, restoring the deterrence of the entire West that was damaged by the attack on Israel.”
Egypt should be protected from the ideological contamination of Hamas by establishing a secure zone in the Sinai. Part of the Gazan population could be relocated to Greece, Spain, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia and Canada.
Once the civilian population has been evacuated to Egypt, the Israeli Defense Forces will be able to engage the terrorists among the Gaza ruins.
A communications campaign should be undertaken to convince Gazans that Allah has decided they should lose their land and never regain it because of Hamas’ crimes.
We are not able to authenticate this document ourselves, but it has been vetted by Israeli peace organizations. It obviously corresponds to the strategy of the Israeli army today.