Donald Trump Proposes Relocation of Gaza Population to Egypt and Jordan
Donald Trump has proposed that Egypt and Jordan take in the majority of Gaza’s population, stating that it is time to “clean out” the territory. He believes that Egypt should take “people” and Jordan should also take people, noting that Gaza has a population of around 1.5 million people.
The proposal, which is likely to outrage Palestinians and Arabs across the region, would upend decades of US policy promoting a two-state solution. Trump believes that Gaza is a “demolition site” and that the population needs to be relocated to a different location where they can live in peace.
However, both Amman and Cairo have repeatedly rejected the idea of relocating Palestinians to their territories, stating that it would be the “liquidation of the Palestinian cause” at the expense of Israel’s neighbors. Sisi, Egypt’s president, has previously expressed concerns that taking in Gazans could threaten Egypt’s peace agreement with Israel, as some might resume fighting against Israel from within Egyptian borders.
H.A. Hellyer, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, stated that such a transfer could be “deeply destabilizing” and potentially threaten relations between the US and regional allies. Hellyer added that the idea of relocating Palestinians would have no support from the Arabs or internationally, as it would be the definition of ethnic cleansing.
On the other hand, Trump’s proposal was met with approval from leaders of Israel’s far-right, including finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who described the idea as a “wonderful idea” that would bring “peace and security”.
Meanwhile, the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with Israel refusing to release the last civilian woman hostage still believed to be alive in Gaza until a solution is found for her release. The ceasefire is also in danger due to the failure to withdraw Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, with Israel refusing to meet the two-month deadline.