US President Donald Trump’s administration appeared to backtrack Wednesday after his proposal to occupy Gaza and expel the Palestinians sparked uproar, with the UN chief warning against “ethnic cleansing” in the Palestinian territory.
Facing a wave of criticism from Palestinians, Arab governments and world leaders, Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any expulsion of Palestinians would be temporary, while the White House insisted there was no commitment to sending US troops.
Trump, however, insisted “everybody loves” the plan, which he announced to audible gasps during a White House press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the ICJ for war crimes.
Offering few details on how the United States could remove more than two million Palestinians or control the enclave, Trump declared Tuesday: “The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it.”
Rubio said the idea “was not meant as hostile”, describing it as a “generous move — the offer to rebuild and to be in charge of the rebuilding”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said Washington would not fund Gaza’s reconstruction after more than 15 months Israeli bombing had reduced much of the territory to rubble.
US involvement “does not mean boots on the ground” or that “American taxpayers will be funding this effort”, Leavitt said.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it was “essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing”.
Stephane Dujarric, previewing the UN chief’s speech later Wednesday, told reporters: “Any forced displacement of people is tantamount to ethnic cleansing”.
Leavitt said Trump wanted Palestinians to be only “temporarily relocated” out of Gaza.
“It’s a demolition site right now. It’s not a liveable place for any human being,” she said.
Palestinian officials, Arab leaders and rights groups swiftly condemned Trump’s remarks.
Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, rejected the proposal, branding it “racist”, “aggressive” and inflammatory.
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for sealing a ceasefire agreement that took effect last month.
‘We will remain’Â
Netanyahu, in Washington for talks on the second phase of the truce, welcomed Trump’s idea, saying it could “change history” and was worth “paying attention to”.
Trump, who also suggested he might visit Gaza, appeared to imply it would not be rebuilt for Palestinians.
But Leavitt later said he had been “very clear” that “he expects our partners in the region, particularly Egypt and Jordan, to accept Palestinian refugees, temporarily, so that we can rebuild their home”.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas rejected the proposal, calling it a “serious violation” of international law and insisting that “legitimate Palestinian rights are not negotiable”.
It is not the first time Trump has suggested Palestinians should leave Gaza. In recent days, he has cited Egypt and Jordan as possible destinations, but people from the territory have vowed to stay.
“They can do whatever they want, but we will remain steadfast in our homeland,” said 41-year-old Gazan Ahmed Halasa.
For Palestinians, any attempt to push them out of Gaza recalls the “Nakba”, or catastrophe — the mass displacement of Palestinians during Israel’s creation in 1948. As of 2022, there were around 6 million registered Palestinian refugees worldwide, many of whom are the descendants of those expelled from their homeland in 1948 by Zionist militias.
Israelis in Jerusalem largely welcomed Trump’s proposal, though some doubted it could be carried out.
“I really like what he said, but in my wildest dreams… it’s hard for me to believe it will happen, but who knows,” said Refael, a 65-year-old massage therapist.
Egypt and Jordan have rejected any resettlement from Gaza. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for a swift reconstruction “without the Palestinians leaving”.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, meeting with Abbas, rejected “any attempts” to take control of Palestinian territories and displace people.
‘Winning’
In Washington, Netanyahu hailed Trump as Israel’s “greatest friend” and praised his “willingness to think outside the box”.
The Israeli premier would not rule out renewed fighting with Hamas or its regional allies, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran.
“We will end the war by winning the war,” Netanyahu said, vowing to secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza.
He expressed confidence that a deal with Saudi Arabia to normalise relations was “going to happen”.
But Riyadh said it would not formalise ties with Israel without a Palestinian state and rejected any “attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land”.
The European Union stressed that “Gaza is an integral part of a future Palestinian state”.
The United Arab Emirates rejected “any attempts of displacement” saying “regional stability can only be attained through the two-state solution”, while Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said: “We are opposed to the forced transfer of the residents of Gaza.”
The Arab League called Trump’s proposal a “recipe for instability”.
Israeli human rights group B’Tselem condemned Trump’s plan as “deranged and reprehensible”, calling it a “moral stain on all involved”.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed , the majority civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.
