Dr Leon Goldsmith: University of Otago Senior Lecturer on Israel's expanded operation set to displace Gazans

A Middle East expert says there's little hope displaced Palestinians can go back to Gaza in future under Israel's latest plan. 

Its Security Cabinet is planning to expand military action, move Gazans south - and pressure Hamas to release hostages.

Otago University's Dr Leon Goldsmith says Israel says it's waiting for the US President's okay.

But he says this is already an 'apocalyptic catastrophe'. 

"But I think if they put this plan into place, they will not allow Palestinians freedom of movement back towards the North."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Twelve past five.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Heller duper see Allen.

Speaker 1 (00:02):
If somebody needs to, because it might well be true. Now,
the Israeli government has announced quite a significant escalation and
its plans for Gaza. It has announced it plans to
reoccupy the Gaza Strip, relocate the population there to the south,
and then destroy all of Hamas's infrastructure, both above and
below ground. Now, doctor Leon Goldsmith is a Middle East
expert at Otago University and with US now Hailey.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
On Good Morning, Kevin.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
What kind of a place is Gars are going to
be after they do this?

Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's already pretty apocalyptic catastrophe, so yes, it's only going
to get worse. I was talked to my Palestinian friend
in Doha the other day and there's just nothing left
of Gaza City where he's from. So in terms of
the destructure, this is not a good sign. But I
think that what's happening here is there's really three things

(00:51):
that Israeli's heaven in their mind here. As one as
to mop up the remainder of the resistance axis. In
terms of a security outlock, I think that there was
a missile that got through and nearly hit Bengarian Airport.
Two days ago, so they still see a major threat
to their security. So this is one of the first

(01:11):
things that they're trying to do. And the other thing
is obviously the hostages that they see that this is
some kind of a plan to try and separate her
mass from the popitage population and hopefully try and squeeze
them to release laughs. But you know, seventy percent of
israelis this is the major consideration the hostages. So this

(01:32):
is this betrayal hostages because they don't think that this
is going to lead to their safe release.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
So yeah, Leon, do you think that, I mean, is
anybody going to move back once they actually destroy the infrastructure,
which presumably is going to destroy everything around it, Is
anybody going to want to move back?

Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah? Well, I don't know. It's really it's incredible the
resilience people that they after you know, the opportunity to
go back north occurred, did actually go back and troll
their properties and their livelihoods. But you know that, I

(02:14):
don't think the radies if they put this plan in place,
and there's no guarantee that they will because they're waiting
to get the green light from Trump when he arrives
here in the region, in a few days. But I
think that if they put this plan in place, they
will not allow Palestinian's freedom of movement back towards the North.
I think basically they'll corral them about what to do

(02:38):
from there.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, okay, lee On, we'll have to leave at their
phone lines Dodgy. I really appreciate it. Doctor Leon Goldsmith,
University of Otago, Department of Politics. By the way, speaking
to us from Anchor, hence the Dodgy line. For more
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