Which American billionaire advocated transferring ‘every last Palestinian?’

By Noam Sheizaf January 12, 2014 | Edit

A friend of Netanyahu presents his own solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Nahum Barnea, one of Israel’s leading political and diplomatic correspondents, had an interesting item at the end of his weekly feature in Yedioth Ahronoth. The Hebrew version is at the end of this post; this is my translation:

A few years back, a known American billionaire, Sarah [Netanyahu’s] friend […], gathered a group of Israelis and gave them the following speech: “I hear that one Avigdor Lieberman is proposing land swaps with the Palestinians. What is this lefty thinking? We shouldn’t propose anything to them. Deport, that’s what is needed. Every last Palestinian.”

The prime minister has a tough, almost impossible mission: to satisfy [Secretary of State John] Kerry without upsetting his billionaire friend too much. Or the other way around: satisfy the billionaire without upsetting Kerry too much. Two Americans and one land of Israel.

This billionaire has a group of Israelis who [eat] out of the palm of his hand. When they suddenly and savagely attack Kerry, Netanyahu gets the message: today it’s Kerry; tomorrow it’s me.

Israel Hayom, Israel’s most widely read paper, is published at a considerable loss and distributed for free by Sheldon Adelson. The paper, which is known for its right-wing line and support of Netanyahu, featured a personal attack on Kerry as its top headline on Thursday. It cited anonymous cabinet sources who questioned the secretary of state’s understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian issue (“superficial”), called him “obsessive” and referred to his plan for the Jordan Valley as “ridiculous.”

Which American billionaire advocated transferring 'every last Palestinian?'

An item by Nahum Barnea in Yedioth Ahronoth, Jan 10 2014

V1 Journalism against apartheid

Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence. We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies. This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza. We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives. Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

Make a Donation

End of article module for Members

TEST TEST GAL Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence. We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies. This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza. We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives. Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

Make a Donation

End of article module for Registered users

Make a Donation