Ten days ago, President Donald Trump called Gaza a “demolition site” and urged his supporters to “clean out that whole thing.” Many assumed he spoke off the cuff.
Before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit, Trump clarified his position in the Oval Office and at a press conference. His comments revealed a serious proposal that changes U.S. policy on Israel and the Palestinians. Critics warn that the plan may violate international law.
Trump now supports the permanent resettlement of Gaza’s Palestinian residents. He argues that Gaza qualifies as a “demolition site.” His team plans to transfer the population to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan. Trump and his officials call this a humanitarian gesture despite its harsh implications.
Forcing people to move violates international law. Palestinians and Arab nations view this proposal as a plan to expel Palestinians and commit ethnic cleansing. Such actions would break legal norms and increase regional tensions.
Arab leaders have quickly rejected Trump’s plan. In his remarks, Trump repeatedly said that Egypt and Jordan could “take” Palestinians from Gaza. Recently, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League issued a joint statement. They warned that the move would destabilize the region and expand the conflict.
Within Israel, ultranationalist factions support expelling Palestinians from occupied territories. Since the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, some leaders in Netanyahu’s coalition have favored a prolonged conflict with Hamas. They reject the current ceasefire and hostage release deal and instead call for a return of Israeli settlements in Gaza.
At a White House press conference with Netanyahu, Trump pushed his plan further. He promised that the United States would control and rebuild Gaza after relocating its Palestinian residents to Egypt and Jordan. When asked if Palestinians could return, he said “the world’s people” would eventually live there, including Palestinians. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, even remarked that “this guy knows real estate.” Trump called Gaza the “Riviera of the Middle East” and promised that American troops would secure the territory.
Implications for Peace
Trump’s proposals mark the most radical U.S. policy shift since Israel’s establishment in 1948 and the events of the 1967 war. Over two million Palestinians may face permanent resettlement elsewhere. This plan would end hopes for a future two-state solution. Palestinians and Arab nations condemn it as a clear expulsion strategy.
Many of Netanyahu’s supporters and ultranationalist settlers in Israel are likely to back Trump’s proposal. They see it as a way to neutralize what Netanyahu calls the threat from Gaza. For most Palestinians, this plan amounts to collective punishment on a massive scale.
