One hundred Gazans left the Strip on Tuesday to work in Indonesia as part of the first pilot program to encourage voluntary migration from Gaza, Channel 12 reported. The project is intended to encourage thousands of Gazans to relocate to Indonesia to work in the construction industry. According to international law, anyone who leaves the Gaza Strip to work will be allowed to return. However, the goal of the program is for the Gazans to choose to settle permanently in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. Indonesia does not maintain official diplomatic ties with Israel, although there are discreet trade and tourism relations between the countries. But since Indonesia is seeking to join the OECD, it has promised to fulfill the requirement of establishing diplomatic ties with all OECD member states, including Israel. Meanwhile, discreet talks were held between the two countries to establish the pilot program. If the pilot succeeds, the Immigration Directorate established by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz will be responsible for expanding the program. The Directorate is expected to head efforts to facilitate the voluntary relocation of Gazans abroad and assist in finding employment to encourage migration from the Strip. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)