As part of Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s visit to Brussels, he met with 27 of his counterparts from EU nations. During the meeting, Katz presented a plan he first proposed in 2017 as a solution for the day after the war in Gaza - an artificial island.
According to the New York Times, during the meeting, Katz stated that the island would be used for the logistical needs of the Gaza Strip, mainly that of checking merchandise and passengers entering Gaza from the sea.
The comments were confirmed by six diplomats who were present.
The sources in the meeting noted that Katz did not propose building the island as a destination to which to transfer Palestinians, and added that he did not specify how the subject was connected to the day after the war.
Israeli sources stated that Katz’s comments do not represent official Israeli policy.
Later, the foreign minister of the Palestinian Authority commented to the foreign ministers from the EU: “We do not need an island, either natural or artificial. The land of Palestine is ours and we will remain upon it.”