President Donald Trump, at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu in Washington, DC, dropped a bombshell proposal that the United States would take over the war-ruined Gaza – that he described as a “demolition zone” and relocate Palestinians to neighbouring countries possibly Egypt and Jordan – and redevelop the war-torn enclave into what he described as the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
This imprudent proposal promptly sparked worldwide condemnation, even from some of the staunchest allies of the US such as the UK.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
First of all, any forcible transfer or deportation of people from an occupied territory is against International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and is nothing but a moral abomination. Human rights organisations quickly condemned the proposal as a form of ethnic cleansing, emphasizing that forced displacement violates international law. This view was echoed by several world leaders as well. Trump also said that the US “will take over Gaza” and send in troops “if necessary”, though the Trump White House later walked back on some of his claims. Trump himself later said that Israel would “hand over” Gaza to the US without any involvement from US troops.
Grandiose vision
I admire that the accomplished real estate developer salivates when he sees a unique Real Estate opportunity, and Trump described his grandiose vision as transforming Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” much like the Mediterranean resorts. Unfortunately, though akin to his ambitious plans to annex Canada as the 51st State, and buy Greenland from Denmark and the Panama Canal from Panama, Gaza is not for sale. Trump has not ruled out military action in Greenland and Panama.
A key aspect of the proposal involves relocating Gaza’s millions of Palestinian residents to neighbouring countries but Egypt and Jordan and other major Arab nations – including the Arab League—have unequivocally rejected any resettlement citing concerns over regional stability and Palestinian rights. Besides, this evokes the memory of the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948, when the State of Israel was created. This event is known as the “Nakba” (catastrophe in Arabic).
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (the only person with any authority over Palestine and operating out of Ramallah) said “the Palestinians will not relinquish their land, rights and sacred sites, and that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the land of the State of Palestine, along with the (Occupied) West Bank and East Jerusalem”. Abbas’ Palestine Authority (PA) does not recognise Hamas and other groups operating in Gaza and other parts of Palestine. Israel also occupies Syria’s Golan Heights in violation of international law.
This reminds me of Trump’s previous (2019) US$ 50 billion Peace Plan of economic aid known as the “Deal of the Century” for the Palestinians. That too was a non-starter promptly repudiated by the Palestinians saying that “the US is selling us illusions”.
Historically, the question of Palestine was first brought before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1947. By Resolution 181, the Assembly decided to partition Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish, with Jerusalem placed under a special international regime.
Since 1948, the UNGA and the UN Security Council (UNSC) have been pre-occupied with this disastrous conflict—adopting nearly 400 Resolutions (187 UNSC and 192 UNGA, respectively) all defied by Israel and some by the US.
Palestinians recognise their country to be the geographic region spanning from the Mediterranean Sea in the East to the Jordan River in the West. Hence the Palestinian slogan, “From the River to the Sea”. The conflict over these lands has left the Palestinians facing multiple humanitarian crises—such as lack of water, food, electricity, and without access to proper medical care.
In July 2024, in a “watershed” ruling, the International Court of Justice (ICJ, UN’s top court) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967 is illegal, and that it must withdraw its military forces and settlers from all Palestinian territories, desist from creating new settlements, and evacuate those already established. It concluded that where Palestinians have lost land and property, Israel should pay reparations.
The ICJ perceived it is “plausible” that Israel has committed acts that violate the UN Genocide Convention. Also, following investigations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for two senior Israeli officials—including Prime Minister Netanyahu. President Trump recently imposed sanctions on the ICC presumably because of this decision. This is a vivid example of how Israel blatantly defies the UN resolutions and the ICJ rulings – and the absolute impotence of the UN.
This 78-year problem can be resolved only by assisting Israel and Palestinians to opt for the Two State Solution – recommended and recognised by the whole world including the US – except Israel. Trump has, however, veered from this position with his Gaza proposal.
Though grandiose but not benevolent, Trump’s proposal drew a barrage of criticism worldwide. Even the US’s closest allies voiced indignation against resettling Palestinians instead of finding a permanent solution to the harrowing problem. While many countries condemned Trump’s imprudent proposal, all countries agree that a Two State Solution is the only way for lasting peace in the Middle East.
The proposal was outright rejected by almost all Arab States. Egypt and Jordan have rejected resettlement proposals in the past as well.
Saudi Arabia, a key American ally in the region, also firmly rejected Trump’s proposal.
Saying that “permanent peace” in the Gaza enclave can only be achieved through the establishment of a Palestinian State, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its “unequivocal rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land”.
Most importantly, Saudi Arabia warned that without the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, it would not form diplomatic relations with Israel.
Legitimate rights
“Permanent peace” cannot be achieved without Palestinians securing their “legitimate rights” to Statehood, the statement added, urging more “peace-loving countries to recognise the State of Palestine” based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its “eternal capital”.
The Ministry said that Riyadh would not establish ties with Israel unless this key condition is met, insisting that its stance towards the Palestinians is “non-negotiable”.
If Saudis’ position can be taken for granted, we can consider that the project “Riviera of the Middle East” is dead on arrival.
Responding to Trump’s proposal for the US to take control of Gaza and relocate its residents to a “good, fresh, beautiful piece of land”, the Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour said, “For those suggesting a happy, nice place for them, let them return to their original homes inside [what is now] Israel”.
He said that Palestinians want to return to their homes in Gaza, declaring, “Our homeland is our homeland… These people want to rebuild Gaza—its schools, hospitals, and infrastructure—because this is where they belong and where they love to live. I believe leaders should respect the will of the Palestinian people”.
Democrats express shock as Republicans heaped praise on the President for suggesting ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian enclave. A headline of an NBC News item read ‘Deranged’ and ‘problematic’: Bipartisan group of lawmakers bashes Trump’s Gaza proposal’. It contains the comments of several Congressmen.
Over 90 percent of the UN Member States – including almost all Western countries—agree that the only way to resolve the Middle East conflict is to create a Palestinian State to exist side-by-side with Israel—based on the 1967 boundaries. And Gaza would be part of a future Palestinian State that includes the Occupied West Bank.
Time is opportune for the two Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas to join hands if they want a separate State—as their squabbles have aggravated the peace process. With such a strong repudiation of Trump’s proposal, it is crystal clear that this conflict can only be resolved by paving way for the Palestinians to establish an independent, fully Sovereign State along the 1967 pre-war borders with East Jerusalem as its eternal capital—a State for Palestinians to live in dignity.
Somar Wijayadasa was a Faculty Member of the University of Ceylon (1967-1972); worked for UN Agencies IAEA and FAO (1973-1985): delegate of UNESCO to the UN General Assembly (1985-1995); and was the Representative of UNAIDS at the United Nations from 1995-2000. [IDN-InDepthNews]
