Event Announcement | Displacement and Resettlement in Gaza: Historical Context and Contemporary Realities

Saturday, February 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST

Join us for a critical conversation on the recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he explicitly called for the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and their resettlement in other parts of the world. This alarming rhetoric echoes decades of policies and plans aimed at depopulating the Gaza Strip, a part of Palestine that has long been a refuge for Palestinians expelled during the 1948 Nakba and a stronghold of resistance against Zionist settler-colonial expansion.

Since its establishment, Israel, along with other international actors, has repeatedly contemplated and pursued strategies to thin Gaza’s population, dismantle its demographic and geographic significance, and erase its role in the broader Palestinian struggle. From historical resettlement schemes to the present-day genocidal war against Gaza, these efforts have consistently been met with steadfast Palestinian defiance.

In this discussion, we will delve into the history of displacement plans targeting Gaza, examine their political and strategic motivations, and explore how Palestinians have responded to and resisted these schemes over time. By understanding the past, we can better grasp the implications of today’s escalating calls for ethnic cleansing and forced uprooting in Gaza.

Speakers:

Hadeel Assali is an anthropologist and former engineer whose work looks at the ongoing colonial legacies of the discipline of geology.

Jehad Abusalim is the Executive Director of the Institute for Palestine Studies-USA and the co-editor of Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire.

Moderator:

Hala Sabbah is the founder of Siyaq Solutions, a diversity and inclusion organization focused on SWANA, and is the co-founder of the Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group in Gaza.

📅 When: Saturday, February 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST | 5:00 PM GMT | 7:00 PM Gaza Time

🔗 Where: Zoom – RSVP Now