The Biden administration is considering resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the United States, prompting worries from experts about potential terrorism and integration challenges.
The White House is exploring the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to the United States, a move that has sparked warnings from experts about the potential for terrorism and failed assimilation.
"We are constantly evaluating policy proposals to further support Palestinians who are family members of American citizens and may want to come to the United States," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced in early May.
However, experts raise concerns about the potential risks associated with this plan.
"I think that the core issue is whether all Gaza is Hamas or as Biden tries to convince us that there is a difference between Hamas and the Gazans, and we have to treat them differently," said Pinhas Inbari, a veteran Arab affairs analyst and correspondent in Israel.
Inbari argues that Gazans have been deeply indoctrinated with Hamas's terrorist ideology since 2007, posing potential risks to the United States. He compared the plan to resettling members of al-Qaeda, stating that both groups are "educated to hate America and Christians."
Moreover, Biden's immigration plan and pro-Hamas protests on college campuses were recently criticized by some Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel's TPS-IL news agency published footage of Gazans expressing their views on immigration and anti-Israel protests. Some expressed a desire to leave Gaza due to the dire living conditions.
"Why stay here? No one will stay. Everything is ruined," said one young man.
However, others vehemently opposed immigration.
"Who's emigrating? God forbid," exclaimed one man. "Whoever emigrates has no [love of] country, no religion, and no belief."
The State Department stated that individuals from Gaza who travel to the United States undergo thorough vetting. However, experts remain concerned about the challenges in identifying potential national security threats.
"Most people working in Gaza have had to affiliate with Hamas or other radical groups to find employment, complicating efforts to identify those deeply involved with Hamas' terrorist activities," said Hayvi Bouzo, a Syrian-born American journalist and Middle East expert.
Bouzo emphasizes the need for more stringent vetting measures to mitigate risks. He also suggests that Egypt continue to welcome Gazan refugees, with the United States providing aid and assistance.
Inbari expresses optimism that if the United Arab Emirates takes responsibility for rebuilding Gaza, it could bring a "positive Islam" to the enclave. He believes that Gazans might realize they were misled by Hamas's ideology.
Despite the concerns raised, the Biden administration maintains that it categorically rejects any actions leading to the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank.
