Israel has no intention to deport Palestinians from Gaza, FM Katz says

"The world must pressure Iran and Hezbollah to withdraw from South Lebanon and implement UN resolution 1701," Katz said, speaking at the Munich Security Conference.

 Foreign Minister Israel Katz speaks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on February 16, 2023  (photo credit: BOAZ ARAD)
Foreign Minister Israel Katz speaks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on February 16, 2023
(photo credit: BOAZ ARAD)

Israel has no plans to deport Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

"We have no intention to deport any Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip," Katz said, adding that Israel did not want to rule Gaza after it ends its war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas that has been governing the territory.

 Israel will coordinate with Egypt on Palestinian refugees and will find a way to not harm Egypt's interests, Israel's foreign minister Israel Katz said on Friday.

"The state of Israel will have to deal with Rafah because we can't just leave Hamas there," Katz said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

 Foreign Minister Israel Katz speaks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on February 16, 2023  (credit: BOAZ ARAD)
Foreign Minister Israel Katz speaks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on February 16, 2023 (credit: BOAZ ARAD)

When asked where refugees in Rafah would go, he suggested Gaza's second city Khan Yunis, but said that Israel would coordinate with Egypt to ensure Cairo's interests were not harmed. "We will coordinate with Egypt," he said.

'World must pressure Iran and Hezbollah to withdraw from south Lebanon'

Israel will be forced to remove the terrorist group Hezbollah from the border in southern Lebanon if efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to ease the tensions fail, Israel's foreign minister Israel Katz said on Friday.

"The world must pressure Iran and Hezbollah to withdraw from South Lebanon and implement UN resolution 1701," Katz said, speaking at the Munich Security Conference.