Trump says no right of return for Palestinians under Gaza takeover plan

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that under his proposed plan to take over and rebuild the Gaza Strip, 2 million Palestinians would be resettled in neighboring countries, and these individuals would not have the right to return to their homes. Trump made these remarks during an interview with Fox News, sparking widespread concern within the international community.

During the interview, Trump stated, "No, they won't [return], because they're going to have better housing." He added, "I mean, build them a permanent place to live." This video clip was released a day after Trump said he was "committed to buying and owning Gaza," despite the fact that his plan unveiled last week was met with global condemnation.

The Palestinian Authority and Hamas (with a 16-month war with Israel causing widespread destruction in Gaza) reiterated that Palestinian land is "not for sale." However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's proposal as "revolutionary and creative." The United Nations warned that, under international law, any forced displacement of civilians from occupied territory is strictly prohibited and "tantamount to ethnic cleansing."

During his interview with Fox News, Trump pledged to build "beautiful neighborhoods" for Palestinians in Gaza. He stated, "Maybe five, six, maybe two. But we're going to build safe neighborhoods, away from where they are, away from all the danger. And in the meantime, I'll own that land." He added, "Think of it as a real estate development project for the future. It'll be beautiful land, and it won't cost a fortune."

Trump then explained that Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza because their lives would be "better" elsewhere, contradicting claims made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who told reporters last week that resettlement would be temporary during reconstruction. Trump claimed, "If they have to go back now, it's going to take many years, because it's not habitable. I mean, start building, and I think I can make a deal with Jordan. I think I can make a deal with Egypt. You know, we give them billions of dollars a year." However, leaders in both Egypt and Jordan have already rejected Trump's plan and his previous requests to take in refugees from Gaza.

Netanyahu praised Trump's proposal during a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. He said, "For a whole year, we were told that in 'the day after,' the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), the Palestinian Authority, needs to enter the Gaza Strip. President Trump is putting forward a completely different vision, better for the State of Israel, a revolutionary and creative vision, and we are discussing it. He is very determined to carry it out. This also opens up many possibilities for us."

The Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The rights of our people and our land are not for sale, exchange, or bargaining. The Israeli government and Prime Minister Netanyahu are trying to cover up their crimes of genocide, forced displacement, and annexation committed against our people. To that end, they continue to promote slogans and positions that are divorced from political reality and far from the requirements of a political solution to the conflict." A Hamas political official said that Trump's remarks were "absurd" and reflected a "profound ignorance of Palestine and the region."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also strongly criticized Trump's plan, calling it a "scandal." He said, "I say together with the Egyptian government, with the Jordanian government, with people who can be counted on to have human dignity: the displacement of populations is unacceptable and violates international law." Furthermore, Palestinian officials and Arab nations also condemned comments made by Netanyahu in a television interview last week.