Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, rejected charges by two Senate Democrats that Israel is engaged in “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians, ahead of a major Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and increasing violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank.

Leiter, in a statement to The Hill on Tuesday, took exception with the conclusion reached by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oreg.), who described their impressions of Israel’s war against Hamas as aimed at forcing the flight of Palestinians from Gaza, and policies in the West Bank as squeezing Palestinians into enclaves or being forced out of the territory.

“The charge of ‘ethnic cleansing’ against Israel is false and dangerous. It is not a legal definition but a political label, used to inflame tensions, spread hate, and fuel antisemitism,” Leiter said in a statement.

“Israel does not deport Palestinians because of their identity. Israel has, rather, temporarily removed non-combatant populations from war-zones in order to guarantee their safety.”

Ethnic cleansing is not a crime formally defined under international law, but its practice – namely a policy of forced or coerced........

© The Hill