Donald Trump has proposed the US “take over” Gaza and “level it” after meeting Israel’s prime minister. Allies and adversaries have condemned the plan, which would likely be a violation of international law. Listen to our experts discuss the plan on the Trump 100 podcast as you scroll.
Wednesday 5 February 2025 07:38, UK
By Alistair Bunkall, Middle East Correspondent in Jerusalem
It would be wrong to dismiss President Trump’s comments as “off the cuff”, as they so often are, because this is not the first time in recent days that he has proposed the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza.
It is an idea he has repeated and now embellished. An idea so egregious that it has left diplomats and politicians in the Middle East agog.
How would it even work? The forced displacement, (it certainly wouldn’t be willing) of two million people would be a clear breach of the Geneva Convention. It would be ethnic cleansing.
Gaza might be “hell” as Trump says, but ask any Gazan and they will tell you it is their home, however hellish.
Who would force them to leave? US troops down the barrel of a gun, pushed through a border into an unwilling Egypt or onto ships and then to where? Just imagine.
Are Western allies really going to comply? Most of them still cling onto the idea of a two-state solution.
It would require American soldiers on the ground in Gaza for well over a decade – will Congress authorise that? Unlikely.
And with what mandate? Gaza isn’t Israeli land to give. It isn’t American land to occupy. Trump cannot just “own” it any more than he cannot own Greenland unless he wants to take it by force. Gaza is not a piece of New York real estate.
Trump either ignores or doesn’t understand moments of living history that many would rather forget – the Nakba which saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced during the 1948 war and haunts them to this day, and America’s humiliating failure at nation-building in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But unrealistic or not, it is a political lifeline for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under pressure to resume the fighting from the right-wing members of his coalition.
It is red meat to those extremist factions, who have long wanted to resettle Gaza and will now seize on this.
For a time at least, it will distract from any serious and practical discussion of what happens next in Gaza, who governs it, who actually rebuilds it etc. Discussion that is desperately overdue.
Unless this is all a deliberate distraction.
Trump’s suggestion wouldn’t just violate international law, it would violate his own long-held opposition to US wars in the Middle East and paying for other people’s problems.
It is hard to see how this fits into an “America First” agenda.
And so, I wonder whether there is something else in play here?
If there is one prize that Netanyahu and Trump want together, almost above all else, it is a normalisation deal with Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh has swiftly responded to Trump’s comments, hardening its position and insisting on Palestinian statehood in exchange for a deal. That’s not going to happen either.
And so, are these faux-lines of negotiation being drawn? Artificial problems being created to give the sides the spectre of something to climb down from?
Trump’s comments were so unexpected, so outrageous, so unrealistic, that they might just be part of something bigger. If not, if he really is serious, then there is trouble ahead. For everyone.
Donald Trump has been accused of “calling for ethnic cleansing” after proposing Gaza’s entire Palestinian population could be resettled in other parts of the Middle East.
Democrat Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American member of US Congress, said: “This president is openly calling for ethnic cleansing while sitting next to a genocidal war criminal.
“He’s perfectly fine cutting off working Americans from federal funds while the funding to the Israeli government continues flowing.”
The forced displacement of Gaza’s population would likely be a violation of international law.
It would be fiercely opposed not only in the Middle East but also by America’s Western allies.
Trump has also failed to offer any specifics on how a resettlement process could be implemented.
Some experts have said the idea echoes the wishes of Israel’s far right, with former Middle East adviser Aaron David Miller saying Trump’s comments had given Netanyahu a “huge pass”.
“He validated almost every right-wing fantasy in Israel,” he said.
Donald Trump’s proposal that the US “take over” Gaza and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents has swiftly rejected by American allies and adversaries.
The comments came amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, during which the militant group has been turning over hostages in exchange for the release of prisoners held by Israel.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood alongside Trump as he made the comments, smiling as he set out his idea and saying the US president’s plan was “worth listening to”.
Egypt and Jordan have already rejected the idea of relocating more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza elsewhere in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia, an important American ally, reacted to Trump’s comments with a sharply worded statement, saying its call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position”.
Similarly, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese told reporters his country has long supported a two-state solution in the Middle East and that nothing had changed.
New Zealand’s foreign ministry said its “long-standing support for a two-state solution is on the record” and added that it, too, “won’t be commenting on every proposal that is put forward”.
Hamas said Trump’s proposal was a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region”.
“Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished,” the militant group said in a statement.
In the US, opposition politicians quickly rejected Trump’s idea, with Democratic senator Chris Coons calling his comments “offensive and insane and dangerous and foolish”.
Welcome back to our live coverage of the early days of Donald Trump’s presidency – after he announced a shocking and significant shift in US policy in the Middle East in a late-night news conference with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.
Trump said America would “take over” Gaza and “level it” as he set out a long-term vision for the besieged enclave, which has been devastated by nearly 18 months of war between the Iran-backed Hamas militant group and Israel.
The proposal has been unanimously condemned around the world – we’ll bring you detailed reaction from Trump’s adversaries and allies shortly.
Without setting out the specifics of how the plan would be achieved, the US president said his country could do a “real job” of removing unexploded bombs from the territory and redeveloping it as the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
Watch: Trump calls for Gaza resettlement
He also proposed that the nearly two million displaced Palestinians be resettled outside Gaza, with a smiling Netanyahu saying Trump’s plan was “worth paying attention to”.
The shocking proposal came as the trade war between the US and China ramps up. Beijing hit back with retaliatory measures yesterday morning within minutes of Trump imposing a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports.
Beijing’s response including 15% tariffs on US coal and liquified natural gas and 10% on crude oil, farm equipment and some vehicles.
Trump had also threatened to tariffs against Canada and Mexico, but in last-minute deals with both countries he paused them for 30 days.
Stay with us as we bring you the latest developments, reaction and analysis throughout the day.
You can read our previous post for all the other major updates from yesterday.
We’re pausing our live coverage of the goings-on in the US, but we’ll be back with you bright and early tomorrow morning.
Before we return, here’s a quick recap of what’s been happening across the pond during the last 24 hours:
Trade war
Foreign policy
Domestic policy
Read more analysis and eyewitness reports from our team of correspondents and editors here:
Earlier this morning, Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports were implemented, but how long will it take before they kick in?
Watch analysis from our economics and data editor Ed Conway below.
Donald Trump has said he wants Iran to be “peaceful and successful” and he would “love” to make a deal with Tehran.
He said he “hated” taking action against the country last time he was in the White House, adding: “They were essentially broke and they had no money for Hezbollah, they had no money for Hamas. They had no money for any form of terror.”
But he added: “I would love to be able to make a great deal, a deal where you (Iranians) can get on with your lives.”
He said he had “many friends from Iran and many friends that are Americans from Iran, and they’re very proud of Iran”.
The president went on: “I hope we’re going to be able to do something so that it doesn’t end up in a very catastrophic situation.
“I really want to see peace.”
He added, however: “They cannot have a nuclear weapon.
“If they can convince us that they won’t, and I hope they can, it’s very easy to do.”
Moving to the floor now for questions.
Donald Trump is asked about his earlier comments suggesting the US could take control of Gaza (see 00.02 post).
The US president is asked what authority would allow him to take over a sovereign territory.
Trump says he sees “a long term ownership position” which will bring stability to that area of the Middle East.
“This was not a decision made lightly,” he says.
Trump says the US would take ownership of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere.
He says it could turn the territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East” in which the “world’s people”- including Palestinians – would live.
“We’ll make sure that it’s done world class,” he says. “It’ll be wonderful for the people – Palestinians, Palestinians mostly, we’re talking about.
“Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs.”
He continues: “I’ve studied it. I’ve studied this very closely over a lot of months, and I’ve seen it from every different angle.”
Benjamin Netanyahu says both he and Donald Trump are aligned in their thoughts on Iran.
“That’s the same Iran that tried to kill us both,” says the Israeli leader.
“They tried to kill you, Mr President. They tried through their proxy to kill me.
“We’re both committed to rolling back Iran’s aggression in the region and ensuring that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.”
Benjamin Netanyahu now speaks, beginning with some words of praise for his US counterpart.
“I’m honoured that you invited me to be the first foreign leader to visit the White House in your second term,” he says.
“This is a testament to your friendship and support for the Jewish state and the Jewish people.
“I’ve said this before. I’ll say it again. You are the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.
“That’s why the people of Israel have such enormous respect for you in your first term.”
Netanyahu lists some things Trump has done to earn Israeli respect, including recognising its sovereignty over the Golan Heights and moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.
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