President Donald Trump ignited a firestorm of controversy with his latest remarks suggesting that the US should “take over” and “own” Gaza.
We take a look at what he proposed and reactions to it.
Trump has made controversial claims about Gaza, primarily around the idea that the US should take control of the territory, remove its people, and “redevelop” it.
His key points:
- The US should “own” Gaza: He has suggested that the US should take control of Gaza to ensure stability. Palestinians should be relocated. He has proposed moving Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to Egypt and Jordan, arguing they would be “better off”.
- Quote: “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the US by Israel at the conclusion of fighting” between Israel and Hamas, he posted on social media. He added: “No soldiers by the US would be needed!”
- Quote: “If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed and not be knifed to death like what’s happening in Gaza,” he said, not mentioning who is killing Palestinians in Gaza.
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- Quote: “I believe we will have a parcel of land in Jordan, a parcel of land in Egypt, we may have someplace else but I think when we finish our talks we’ll have a place where they’ll live very happily.”
- Gaza should be redeveloped into the “Riviera of the Middle East” – “We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal. And I don’t want to be cute. I don’t want to be a wise guy. But the Riviera of the Middle East.”
- No Palestinian-led government – “Hamas has made it so bad, so bad, so dangerous, so unfair to people.”
- Forced displacement: His proposal to remove Gaza’s population has been called ethnic cleansing by human rights organisations. Under international law, forcibly relocating civilians is a war crime.
- Violation of Palestinian rights: Palestinians have a deep connection to their land, Gaza. Removing them would be a second Nakba, mirroring the ethnic cleansing of nearly one million Palestinians by Zionist gangs to clear the way for the declaration of the state of Israel in 1948.
- Unrealistic and unworkable: The idea of removing millions of people to build a luxury resort in a war-torn area is widely seen as impractical, detached from reality and “morally unacceptable”, according to Dov Waxman, the director of the Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at UCLA.
What has the response from Gaza been?
Palestinians in Gaza have reacted with anger and rejection to Trump’s comments.
They argue that Gaza is their home and that the proposal ignores their rights and historical connection to the land.
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“Where would we even go?” Imad al-Qassas, a 60-year-old father of six, said in Gaza. “Even if the border crossings were opened and voluntary migration was offered, I would never leave, no matter how difficult my situation is.”
Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, has called Trump’s idea “ridiculous and absurd”.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whose mandate extends over parts of the occupied West Bank, said this was a “serious violation of international law”.
What has Israel’s response been?
In the same news conference where Trump made these comments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended them as innovative, and that they were thought on “a much higher level” and were a path worth exploring.
Israel says Gaza poses a threat to its security, and a key objective of the ongoing war is to eliminate any potential future threats.
Could Trump do this?
No, he can’t.
Trump does not have the legal, military, or diplomatic power to enforce his idea.
No authority over Gaza: Gaza is not US territory, and the US has no jurisdiction there. Also, experts argue, the US wouldn’t commit the financial and logistical resources to do this.
Mass relocation is nearly impossible: In Trump’s mind, it would be possible to force two million Palestinians from their land – most of whom do not want to go.
International laws condemn this: During a Fox interview Trump said he did not plan to allow Gaza’s population to return. The involuntary deportation or displacement of a civilian population constitutes a breach of international humanitarian law.
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Neighbouring countries do not agree: Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have explicitly rejected the idea, and the US can’t force them to accept it. However, Egypt and Jordan are very reliant on US aid and may need to start looking elsewhere for funding to get away from the US.
What are neighbouring countries saying?
Egypt: Strongly opposes any forced relocation of Palestinians. Egyptian officials said they are working on a “comprehensive vision” for the reconstruction of Gaza that does not involve displacement.
Jordan: King Abdullah II has rejected Trump’s idea. “This is the unified Arab position,” he said in a post on X. “Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all.”
Saudi Arabia: The Foreign Ministry said it rejected any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land and described its stance as “clear and explicit” as well as non-negotiable.
For more reactions, read this piece.
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