In a shocking and controversial statement, US President Donald Trump has unveiled his plan for the Gaza Strip, announcing that Palestinians would have no right to return to the region.
In a Fox News interview, Trump described his proposal as ‘real estate development for the future,’ indicating that he would take ownership of Gaza and build new, safer communities for Palestinians outside the war-torn strip.
These statements by Trump have sparked international outrage, particularly in the Arab world, where his plan has been widely rejected.
He suggested that Palestinians, numbering over two million, would be relocated to one of six new sites outside Gaza, including areas in Egypt and Jordan. In his comments the US President stressed that the Palestinians would not return to Gaza because the region has been reduced to rubble by the Israel’s military and it will take several years to rebuild it.
Instead, Trump proposed constructing “beautiful communities” elsewhere, claiming they would provide Palestinians with better housing and a higher quality of life.
However, for many globally this idea is troubling as the concept of forced displacement, often viewed as ethnic cleansing, has been condemned by international bodies, including the United Nations. And has drawn sharp criticism from Arab states, particularly Egypt and Jordan, both of which have rejected the idea of hosting Palestinians.
According to reports in the public domain the UN’s Navi Pillay warned that the forcible removal of Palestinians would constitute a violation of international law, calling it an “international crime.”
The US president is set to negotiate deals with both Jordan and Egypt using military aid as a leverage. Trump’s remarks suggest that the relocation of the Palestinians would be permanent, and there would be no expectation of their returning to their homes in Gaza.
This position sharply contrasts with long-standing international support for the Palestinians’ right to return to their homes, a principle enshrined in international law since 1948.
Trump’s real estate-driven approach to the Gaza Strip has drawn parallels with previous controversial proposals, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s suggestion to clear Gaza of civilians to unlock ‘waterfront property.’ Palestinians, many of whom have lived in Gaza for generations, have expressed outrage at the proposal, fearing it would strip them of their land and homes.