Many Gazans, particularly the young, are interested in leaving and have declared this over the years in polls and with their feet.
By ARI ZIVOTOFSKYFEBRUARY 18, 2025 01:05
President Donald Trump has proposed an idea that caught many off guard – relocating many Gazans to other countries. This plan had previously been suggested by some Israelis who were mocked by local political opponents for the idea. Now that the new president of the United States has suggested it, other countries have taken notice.
But does that mean they are in favor of it? Quite the contrary. Most countries have lambasted the audacious and bold scheme. But before criticizing it, they should take note of what the Gazans themselves desire. Indeed, until recently, Gazans have been leaving and have expressed their desire to relocate. And it is not just a few; it is large numbers.
Following Trump’s announcement, CNN, not a fan of Trump, immediately ran an article in which Gazan after Gazan insisted that they will stay in Gaza no matter how difficult the situation is, and would never dream of leaving.
It seems that CNN was unable to find even one person to represent the other side. That is quite perplexing. It may be that CNN didn’t really look for such respondents or that in the current climate, nobody is willing to admit they want to leave.
Therefore, it is worthwhile to look at two other sources of information. One is how Gazans have spoken with their feet over the last several decades. What were the immigration statistics like before October 7, 2023? The polls conducted prior to the current Hamas-initiated war are another source.
PALESTINIANS MAKE their way between southern and northern Gaza on Sunday after Israeli forces withdrew from the Netzarim Corridor. (credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
A study published in the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies (submitted to the journal before the current war) documents the phenomenon of Gazans emigrating. The article acknowledges that precise numbers are elusive, writing: “According to unconfirmed reports cited by PSR (Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research), the opening of the Rafah Crossing with Egypt in 2018 led to as many as 24,000 emigrants from Gaza in 2018, while Israeli governmental sources believe the number to be 35,000.”
And that is in one year.
‘Mass exodus’ from Gaza
At the end of September 2023, mere weeks before the Hamas massacre in Israel, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center published a fact sheet entitled, “The mass exodus of young men from the Gaza Strip.”
Again, admitting that figures are tenuous, they assert that “according to several reports, since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, between about 250,000 and 350,000 young adults have left.”
That is over 10% of the population who have left! And until the war shut down the exits, the exodus from Gaza appeared to be picking up steam.
This fact sheet claims that “in one week, 18,000 applications for visas to Turkey were submitted and there was a waiting list of 83,000 to leave the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing.”
This is not just Israelis saying this. On September 19, 2023, Palestinian TV broadcast a program called “Emigration from Gaza,” in which they also claimed that in the past 15 years about a quarter of a million young Gazans had moved abroad.
It is noteworthy that healthcare and life expectancy were high in Gaza before the current war and thus, despite this emigration, the population had not plummeted due to the high birth rate, which is the second highest in the Middle East.
Those who left often have no regrets. They have fared well, with the exception of those who migrated to other Arab countries that refuse to let them integrate in order to perpetuate their refugee status. For example, Chile is home to almost half a million Arabs from Israel, and they have integrated extremely successfully.
Still, leaving is not easy, as the costs of paying to cross to Egypt are far above most people’s reach. It is thus instructive to know how many Gazans desired to leave.
The PSR conducted a survey among Gazans that ended the day before Hamas initiated the war. The results speak about voluntary, not forced, emigration and were reported by an Arab polling agency. They found that 31% of Gazans and 21% of Arabs in Judea and Samaria were considering emigrating – results similar to those found in 2021.
According to the data, 38% of Gazan males and 44% of Gazan youth (18-29 years old) want to leave. The top four desired destinations for Gazans are Turkey, Germany, Canada, and Qatar.
Many are interested in leaving
THE EVIDENCE seems clear. Many Gazans, particularly the young, are interested in leaving and have declared this over the years in polls and with their feet. They were interested in leaving before the current Israel-Hamas War and they are certainly interested in leaving now.
As is evidenced historically and in current events, wars are a great incentive for people to leave; even people who claim great attachment to the land in which they are living often leave when there is war.
According to a Washington Post article, between the start of the current war and the end of June 2024 (i.e., the first nine months of the war), 115,000 Gazans have entered Egypt. This is despite Egypt’s adamant opposition to Gazans moving there. Those who interviewed by CNN who insisted that they will stay in Gaza at all costs are making an obvious political statement.
Countries that have long supported the rights of immigration, particularly from war zones, are being hypocritical by objecting to this now. For countries such as Turkey, which has participated in population transfers, to claim that this is against human rights is simply being anti-Israel.
It really is logical. Who would not want to leave, given their current circumstances? Obviously, they would want to go to places where they feel safe, countries where there are already Muslims and/or Arabs, where their children can thrive.
Sure, these are generalizations and some truly want to stay. How much emigration should be forced, how much encouraged, and how much would be voluntary could be discussed. Which countries should take them can be negotiated. However, a version of the Trump plan should be given serious consideration.
The writer is a professor of neuroscience at Bar-Ilan University.
Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-842535.
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