President Trump’s declaration on Tuesday evening that the United States could “take over” the Gaza Strip and that its Palestinian population could be permanently displaced was met with immediate criticism in the Middle East and beyond.
During a joint White House news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump stated, “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too.” He suggested that the war-torn enclave could be redeveloped into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Riyad Mansour, the leader of the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations, responded on social media, asserting that Palestinians in Gaza should be allowed to reclaim their former homes in Israel rather than being relocated to other countries. He emphasized that Palestinians wish to rebuild Gaza themselves and called on world leaders to respect their desires.
The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia issued a statement that, while not directly addressing Trump’s remarks, reaffirmed its “complete rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.” The ministry highlighted the need for the international community to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians, who remain committed to their land.
In the United States, Senator Chris Murphy criticized Trump’s proposal, suggesting it was a distraction from other significant issues. He stated, “I have news for you — we aren’t taking over Gaza,” and expressed concern that the media would focus on this issue instead of more pressing matters.
Another Democratic senator, Chris Van Hollen, labeled Trump’s proposal as “ethnic cleansing by another name,” arguing that it would empower adversaries like Iran while undermining U.S. relations with Arab partners.
Former Republican congressman Justin Amash, whose family is of Palestinian origin, also condemned Trump’s proposal, warning that it could lead to another reckless occupation and constitute ethnic cleansing.
A broad coalition of Arab nations had previously rejected an earlier suggestion from Trump to relocate Gazans to Egypt and Jordan, stating that such plans could exacerbate regional conflict and threaten stability.
Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, denounced Trump’s proposal, asserting that the forcible expulsion of Palestinians would lead to conflict and damage the United States’ reputation. He emphasized that Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and deemed Trump’s idea unacceptable.
Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, expressed support for Trump’s proposal, thanking the president in a social media post and suggesting that their collaboration would lead to positive outcomes.