Israel has initiated plans to potentially relocate Palestinians from Gaza, aligning with a proposal by President Trump, despite facing international resistance. The strategy involves facilitating the departure of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, a move that Human Rights Watch described as potential "ethnic cleansing." Defense Minister Israel Katz has directed the military to prepare for the emigration via land, sea, and air crossings.
The Trump administration has started to modify its approach to the proposal, initially positioning the relocation as temporary following global backlash. Trump stated on social media that Israel would hand over Gaza to the United States after the war without deploying US soldiers, aiming to transform the area into a "Riviera of the Middle East." "Israel would turn Gaza over to the United States after the war," Trump said.
Egypt, under President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, has opposed the relocation plan, warning it could threaten the long-standing peace agreement with Israel and destabilize the region. Egyptian officials have expressed these concerns to the Pentagon, the State Department, and members of US Congress, emphasizing their commitment to a Palestinian state.
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Saudi Arabia concurs with Egypt, opposing any mass relocation of Palestinians without establishing a Palestinian state that includes Gaza. The nation, along with other Arab countries like Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, rejected the plan during a recent diplomatic meeting. Their stance is critical as it impacts the normalization of relations with Israel, a significant objective of the Trump administration. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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