Defense Minister Bennett endorses plan to build artificial island for Gaza

In 2017, Israel Katz proposed building an artificial island off the coast of  Gaza to be monitored by Israeli and international security.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has ordered Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi to look into the feasibility of Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz’s proposal for creating an artificial island off the coast of Gaza as a means to disconnect the region from Israel, reports Channel 12 News.

In 2017, Katz proposed building an artificial island off the coast of Gaza to be monitored by Israeli and international security.

According to Katz, the artificial island would provide Gazans some export and import freedom and serve as an outlet to the world without endangering Israeli security.

The plan would provide the artificial island with its own desalination facilities, electricity plant, freight harbor, and container storage facilities.

Katz said that he viewed the implementation of the plan as the final stage of Israel’s disengagement from Gaza, which began with Israel’s withdrawal in the summer of 2005.

“With the Oslo Accords, Israel withdrew from Gaza; with the Disengagement, Jews were expelled from there. We have no reason to be there. Why are we giving them electricity and water and connecting them to gas? We have no authority there, only responsibility,” he said at the time.

The plan never materialized because former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman was against the idea based on security concerns.

Katz took to Twitter on Sunday to show his enthusiasm for Bennett’s decision.

“For years I have been promoting the initiative of an international island off Gaza, as a single solution of a controlled civilian output from Gaza to the world, while severing civilian ties and maintaining a secure border with Israel,” Katz tweeted.

“This week I met Defense Minister Bennett, who, unlike his predecessors, expressed support for promoting the initiative. I updated Prime Minister Netanyahu, and I hope that we can get started soon,” he added.