Five Arab foreign ministers and a senior Palestinian official sent a joint letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, opposing plans to displace Palestinians from Gaza, as suggested by President Donald Trump late last month. The letter was sent on Monday and signed by the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, alongside Palestinian presidential adviser Hussein al-Sheikh. Reports of this development first emerged from Axios, which noted the top diplomats met over the weekend in Cairo.
Trump had initially floated the idea of Jordan and Egypt absorbing Palestinians from Gaza on January 25. Responding to queries about whether this was intended as a short-term or long-term solution, Trump replied: "Could be either." His comments echoed long-standing Palestinian fears of forced removal and have been critiqued as proposals of ethnic cleansing.
The letter stated, "Reconstruction in Gaza should be through direct engagement with and participation of the people of Gaza. Palestinians will live in their land and help rebuild it. And they should not be stripped of their agency during reconstruction as they must take ownership of the process with the support of the international community." This assertion emphasizes the necessity for Palestinians to play pivotal roles in their own future, asserting their rights amid external pressures.
Critics labeled Trump's proposals as dangerously flouting international law, highlighting how such actions would contradict the principles guarding the rights of occupied populations. Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch stated, "If implemented, Trump's idea would amount to an alarming escalation in the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people and exponentially increase their suffering." The gravity of this sentiment underlines the dire consequences of displacement for the Palestinian people.
International humanitarian law strictly prohibits forcible transfers of the population under occupation, echoing the sentiments shared by Arab leaders. The Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S., Motaz Zahran, previously stated these suggestions run counter to the legal obligations of Israel as the occupying power, highlighting their potential to ignite regional instability.
The toll on Gaza has been brutal, with over 47,000 Palestinians reported killed amid the unrest, according to Gaza's health ministry, the majority being civilians. The fighting has been paused, transitioning to early phases of ceasefire efforts brokered by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt. The crisis was exacerbated following the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel, which left 1,200 Israeli citizens dead and around 250 hostages taken.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi labeled the notion of relocating Palestinians akin to the "second Nakba," referencing the mass expulsion of Palestinians during the establishment of Israel in 1948. He stressed the vision of stronger repercussions on Egypt's national security, which has been put at risk by such plans.
Jordan, similarly, has voiced its firm rejection of Trump's proposal. Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reinforced the nation's stance by stating, "Jordan is for Jordanians and Palestine is for Palestinians," asserting the right of Palestinians to their homeland.
Historically, the plight of Palestinian refugees since the 1948 Nakba offers cautionary lessons. Today, nearly six million Palestinians find themselves stateless, many relegated to overcrowded camps throughout the Middle East, burdening generations with hardship. Trump's plan, painted as temporary, neglects the inherent risks of creating permanent refugee camps for those displaced, perpetuating poverty and instability.
So why are some of the occupying power's representatives calling for such displacement? Critical voices perceive it as annexation masquerading as humanitarian intervention. High-ranking Israeli officials have shown support for transferring Palestinians to other countries, facilitating expanded settlements.
This rhetoric of displacement poses serious threats not only to the Palestinian identity but also to the overall prospects of peace. History echoes; Trump's words, often dismissed as impractical, risk becoming normalized discussions within United States policy. Jared Kushner's previous comments about Gaza’s value as real estate amplify concerns about underlying motivations tied to economic factors rather than humanitarian ones.
Concluding the narrative of this situation is the continued struggle for Palestinian rights, as articulated by displaced voices yearning for their homeland. Abu Yahya Rashid, reflecting on his ancestral land, powerfully noted, "This land is ours and the property of our ancestors throughout history. We will not leave it except as corpses." This poignant reminder conveys the deep-seated ties Palestinians feel to their land.
Moving forward, it is imperative to prioritize international law, recognize the right of return for Palestinians under occupation, and hold responsible parties accountable. The path toward resolution and coexistence begins by acknowledging Palestinian voices and rejecting any proposals fostering their displacement.