Palestinian Information Center – January 31, 2025
Trump and the displacement of Palestinians:
Reintroducing an Israeli plan that won’t pass
GAZA, (PIC)
After Palestinians in the Gaza Strip thwarted Israeli plans for forced displacement with tremendous sacrifices—resulting in the blood of tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded mingling with the soil of the land they cherish—U.S. President Donald Trump came forward to resurrect the plan without a clear vision, ignoring the Palestinians’ steadfast determination to remain in their land, which they refuse to leave no matter the sacrifices.
Trump reintroduces the displacement plan
At a time when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were awaiting their return to northern Gaza, effectively derailing Israel’s forced displacement plan announced at the start of its genocidal war, Trump made remarks suggesting the potential relocation of over a million Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries. This was during a phone call with Jordanian King Abdullah II.
Trump told reporters on Saturday evening (January 25): “I asked Jordan to accept more Palestinians because I see that Gaza is in chaos. It’s a tragic situation that must be addressed.” He added that he would discuss the possibility of housing Palestinians in Egypt with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, stating: “You’re talking about one and a half million people, and we will just remove this issue altogether.”
At the beginning of the genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Israeli officials presented a plan for the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza to Sinai, aiming to push hundreds of thousands to flee to Rafah amidst bombings and starvation. However, Palestinians resisted and stood firm, while Egypt expressed its outright rejection of the Israeli plans.
Reintroducing an old Israeli plan
Trump’s comments align with longstanding Israeli plans to depopulate Gaza of its Palestinian residents, part of a broader, inhumane forced displacement effort aimed at erasing their presence on their land.
Experts believe these remarks come at a sensitive time, just one week after the ceasefire began, with hurdles that could be resolved for the return of displaced people to their homes, while the region continues to suffer from the massive destruction caused by Israel’s war, which has devastated over 70% of Gaza’s buildings.
Palestinian and Arab rejection
As always, various Palestinian groups, both official and popular, have expressed their firm rejection of forced displacement plans at any cost. There is a consensus that what Trump is proposing is merely a repeat of previous Israeli attempts aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause.
While Egypt and Jordan have not yet issued immediate comments on Trump’s remarks, both countries have previously made their stance clear. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi had refused the idea of displacing Palestinians as part of a broader plan to rid the region of its Palestinian population, while King Abdullah II stressed that any attempt to displace Palestinians to Jordan is a “red line.”
Forced displacement an Israeli plan
Israeli affairs expert Dr. Ibrahim Abu Jaber pointed out that displacement plans are a prominent issue in Israel, stating that “everyone in Israel aims to displace as many Palestinians as possible, whether tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands. Netanyahu has been courting Trump from the beginning. I wouldn’t rule out that this idea came through Netanyahu’s office.”
Dr. Abu Jaber added: “There is agreement within the Israeli government, from the right-wing to some left-wing sectors, that displacement is the best solution to the conflict. However, this solution cannot succeed.”
The Palestinian people’s firmness in their land
Palestinians in Gaza, who have been lining up for days along Salah al-Din and al-Rasheed streets waiting to return to Gaza City after months of displacement, reaffirm their rejection of any attempt at forced displacement. They declare their unwavering commitment to the right of return to their towns and villages in Palestine, which have been occupied since 1948.
For 15 months, the occupation sought to empty Gaza and the northern governorates through dozens of displacement orders and deadly raids, but hundreds of thousands stood firm, confronting death and starvation, and foiled the displacement plan.
Throughout the years, Gaza has shown unparalleled resilience in the face of Israeli attacks. The Palestinian people remain steadfast in their land, despite the bloodshed and sacrifices they have endured.
Dr. Abu Jaber stresses that “executing this plan is not easy, as it would conflict with any future settlement. The Palestinian people refuse forced displacement under any circumstances. Thousands preferred martyrdom over emigration, and they will not accept having their land used as an experiment by others.”
Despite repeated attempts to propose displacement plans, Palestinians remain resolute in staying rooted in their land and continue their path of resistance to preserve their presence on their land, affirming that their national rights are non-negotiable and cannot be relinquished.
https://english.palinfo.com/reports/2025/01/27/332953/
Israeli soldier killed, injured as Jenin fights back onslaught
An Israeli soldier has been killed and five were wounded as Palestinians fight back a major Israeli onslaught on Jenin which began right after a ceasefire halted 15 months of Israeli war on Gaza.
The Israeli military announced in a statement that sergeant Liam Hazi, 20, of the Kfir Brigade’s Haruv reconnaissance unit, from Rosh Haayin city, was killed on Thursday.
Confirming that one of the injured is in serious condition, the occupation military said that its troopers exchanged fire with at least two armed Palestinian men after entering a building in the Jenin camp. The two gunmen apparently managed to flee the scene.
The Israeli soldier’s death comes amid a major aggression by regime forces in the northern West Bank launched last week.
On Thursday, two Palestinians were killed and several others, including three women, injured by Israeli gunfire during clashes in the Jenin refugee camp.
Local sources said armored Israeli military vehicles rolled into the camp on Thursday evening, and exchanged fire with Palestinian resistance fighters.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing the Ministry of Health, reported that the two individuals were shot dead by Israeli forces.
Palestinian security sources identified the deceased Palestinians as Yazan Hatem al-Hassan and Amir Abu Hassan. Their bodies have been withheld by Israeli authorities.
Tensions have been running high across the West Bank due to Israel’s war on Gaza, during which at least 47,460 people were killed and 111,580 others injured since October 7, 2023. A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement took effect in Gaza on January 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war on the coastal territory.
Over the same period, at least 893 Palestinians were killed and more than 6,700 injured by Israeli forces in West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
At least 19 Palestinians have been killed in Jenin since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in Gaza. Dozens of injuries, detentions and forced evictions of families have taken place during the period as well.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has reported that the Israeli military is obstructing its efforts to reach the wounded and retrieve the bodies of the deceased.
According to the PRCS, dozens of military checkpoints and barriers have been set up across the West Bank, causing significant delays for civilians, with wait times stretching between six to eight hours.
Palestinian Information Center – January 31, 2025
Israel continues its aggression in Tulkarem, forcing residents to evacuate their homes
TULKAREM, (PIC)
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued on Friday to force citizens to evacuate their homes in the Tulkarem refugee camp amid unprecedented escalation of aggression in the city and its camp
.
The occupation forces have compelled families to leave their homes under gun threat, specifically in the neighborhoods of Al-Nadi and Al-Shuhada, causing panic and fear, especially among children and women.
These operations have been accompanied by the destruction of property and the demolition of several houses, as the IOF used evacuation as a means to intimidate citizens and exert pressure on them, under the pretext of searching for wanted individuals.
This ongoing escalation has persisted for five days amid difficult humanitarian conditions in the camp, where residents are suffering from the interruption of essential services such as water, electricity, and communications due to the targeting of infrastructure by IOF bulldozers, along with severe shortages of food, medical supplies, drinking water, and infant formula.
The IOF maintained the siege on the government hospital of Martyr Thabet Thabet and the specialized Al-Israa hospital, seizing high-rise commercial buildings surrounding them and obstructing the work of ambulances and medical teams, subjecting them to inspection and field interrogation.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/01/31/333237/
Palestinian Information Center – January 31, 2025
40,000 Palestinians perform Friday prayer at Aqsa Mosque
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
Thousands of Palestinian worshipers performed Friday prayer in the Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem amidst tight Israeli restrictions.
The Islamic Endowment Authority affirmed that around 40,000 Muslims performed the Friday prayer at the holy shrine.
Police forces also obstructed Muslim worshipers’ entry to the Aqsa Mosque through its gates, and brutally attacked them, in particular, many young men and checked their IDs.
Israeli forces impose strict restrictions on the entry of worshipers to the Aqsa Mosque, especially on Fridays, preventing thousands of citizens from the West Bank from reaching Jerusalem to perform prayers at the Mosque, as they require the issuance of special permits to cross IOF military checkpoints surrounding the holy city.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/01/31/333225/
Israel National News – January 31, 2025
Senior Hamas official:
We'll continue governing Gaza until an alternative is found
Senior Hamas official Taher Nounou states that “practically, we can say that the war is over” and claims that "the enemy did not achieve its goals”.
Senior Hamas official Taher Nounou stated on Thursday that the organization will continue governing the Gaza Strip until a viable Palestinian Arab alternative is established.
In an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Nounou said the 12-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas signified that “practically, we can say that the war is over.” At the same time, he noted that a final resolution depends on securing an agreement for the truce’s second phase.
When asked whether Hamas considers itself victorious in the war, Nounou responded, “The Palestinian people were not defeated … The enemy did not achieve its goals,” referring to Israel’s failure to dismantle Hamas or forcibly retrieve hostages held by the group.
Hamas has been engaged in discussions with the Palestinian Authority regarding a potential governance structure for Gaza. Nounou indicated that Hamas had accepted an Egyptian proposal to transfer control to a “community support committee” composed of independent technocrats. Another option, he said, was the formation of a national consensus government that would oversee both Palestinian Authority-assigned areas of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) as well as the Gaza Strip.
However, he claimed that Fatah, the dominant faction within the PA which has been at odds with Hamas for years, had rejected both proposals.
“Until one of the two options is adopted, there will be no vacuum. The current (Hamas-led) administration will bear its responsibility towards our people. And this is what is happening right now,” he told AP.
Nounou also reiterated Hamas’ commitment to ensuring the success of the second phase of the ceasefire with Israel but cautioned that hostilities could resume if Israel decides to break off negotiations.
The deal stipulates that talks between Israel and Hamas regarding the next phase of the ceasefire are expected to begin by Monday.
“We’re determined — along with the Egyptian and Qatari mediators — to make this stage a success,” Nounou told AP.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/403177
Iran begins Ten-Day ceremonies marking victory of Islamic Revolution
Iranians have begun Ten-Day Dawn celebrations to mark the 46th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution that toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime.
The nationwide celebrations started on Friday, which coincides with the 12th day of the solar calendar month of Bahman.
The day marks the homecoming of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, after several years of living in exile.
Celebrating the day, motorcycle parades were held in the capital Tehran and other cities across the country.
As one of the programs, the seating area of Imam Khomeini in Behesht-e Zahra, Tehran's major cemetery in the south of the city, was adorned with flowers on Friday morning in a ceremony attended by thousands of people as well as several high-ranking officials.
"After 46 years, we have been able to establish resistance in the world and steer the world toward multipolarity," Hamidreza Hajibabaei, the Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, said during the event.
"Over the past 46 years, the Iranian people have consistently been in a defensive position in the war that America has waged against us, and the victor of this war has always been the Iranian nation," he added.
"The enemy imposed an eight-year war on us, shot down our passenger plane, assassinated General Soleimani, and imposed sanctions on us. All these wars were initiated by the Americans against the Iranian nation, and these actions have led the Iranian people to consider America as their enemy and hold resentment toward it," said the senior lawmaker.
Over 46,000 programs have been prepared and organized by the Islamic Propagation Coordination Council at the national level to mark the Islamic Revolution's anniversary this year. These include visiting the tombs of the martyrs, holding 900 meetings with the families of martyrs, bestowing flowers on the tombs of martyrs, and sounding the bell of the revolution in 110,000 schools across the country.
On Thursday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei paid tribute to Imam Khomeini at his mausoleum in Tehran.
Every year, Iranians mark the anniversary of their Islamic Revolution from February 1 to 11, known as the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies. During the celebrations, Iranians take part in different events and activities to mark the occasion.
Led by Imam Khomeini, the Islamic Revolution was driven by anti-imperialist sentiments since former Iranian monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was heavily dependent on Western powers, not least the United States.
By toppling the Pahlavi regime 46 years ago, the Iranian nation ended 2,500 years of monarchic rule and established a new political system – a republic based on Islamic values and democracy.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/01/31/741912/Iran-Ten-Day-ceremonies--victory-Islamic-Revolution
