Israeli foreign minister's call to eject West Bank's Palestinians condemned

Israel's foreign minister has been widely condemned after calling for the ejection of Palestinians from their homes in the occupied West Bank during a major Israeli assault launched on Wednesday. 

Israel Katz wrote on X shortly after the raid began: "We need to address the [terror] threat exactly as we deal with terror infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians and any other step needed." 

He later wrote that such a "temporary evacuation" would occur "in some cases of intense combat", during which Palestinians would be moved "from one neighbourhood to another within the refugee camp to prevent civilian harm". 

The comments came as Israel launched its largest operation in the West Bank in decades. Drones hit Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas as troops opened fire on Palestinians on the ground. At least 17 Palestinians were killed, according to Wafa news agency. 

"The Israeli major military operation in the occupied West Bank must not constitute the premises of a war extension from Gaza, incl. full-scale destruction," wrote Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign policy chief, on X. 

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