Egypt firmly opposed the proposal of forcibly relocating Palestinians after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested a plan to “clean out” the Gaza Strip and transfer its population to Egypt and Jordan. In response, Cairo’s foreign ministry released a statement affirming Egypt’s “continued support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land.” The ministry also expressed its rejection of any actions that violated the Palestinians’ inalienable rights, whether through settlement expansion, land annexation, or the forced removal of Palestinians, whether temporary or permanent.
Following 15 months of ongoing conflict, Trump remarked that Gaza had become a “demolition site” and indicated he would like both Egypt and Jordan to accept Palestinian refugees. He suggested that the relocation could be either temporary or long-term.
The Arab League expressed solidarity with Egypt’s position, condemning the proposal. The organization declared that “the forced displacement and eviction of people from their land can only be called ethnic cleansing.” The Arab League added, “Attempts to uproot the Palestinian people from their land, whether by displacement, annexation or settlement expansion, have been proven to fail in the past.”
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt, whom Trump said he would speak with on Sunday, has consistently warned that such a displacement would aim to “eradicate the cause for Palestinian statehood.” Sissi called the proposal a “red line” and emphasized that it would jeopardize Egypt’s national security. The Egyptian foreign ministry also reiterated its commitment to the “two-state solution,” stressing that the removal of Palestinians from their land would render this solution unattainable.
{Matzav.com}