Arab Foreign Ministers Reject Palestinian Displacement
Arab foreign ministers have unanimously rejected any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land, including proposals for their relocation to Egypt and Jordan. This unified stance comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that these countries should take in residents of the Gaza Strip.
In a joint statement following a meeting in Cairo, representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League expressed their firm opposition to such a move. They emphasized that it would threaten regional stability, exacerbate conflict, and undermine prospects for peace.
"We affirm our rejection of [any attempts] to compromise Palestinians’ unalienable rights, whether through settlement activities, or evictions or annex of land or through vacating the land from its owners...in any form or under any circumstances or justifications," the statement declared.
While acknowledging their desire to collaborate with the Trump administration towards a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on a two-state solution, the ministers strongly condemned the suggestion of Palestinian displacement.
This meeting follows Trump's controversial statement last week, where he referred to Gaza as a "demolition site" and proposed that Egypt and Jordan should accept its residents. Critics have denounced this proposal as tantamount to ethnic cleansing.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi swiftly rejected the idea, stating that Egyptians would not tolerate the displacement of Gazans. Despite this, Trump reiterated his suggestion on Thursday, citing U.S. aid to both Egypt and Jordan as leverage.
The prospect of Palestinians leaving Gaza, territory they envision as part of an independent state, has been consistently rejected by both the Palestinian leadership and neighboring Arab states since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Jordan already hosts several million Palestinians, while tens of thousands reside in Egypt. Both countries' foreign ministries have explicitly rejected Trump's proposal.
The Arab ministers also welcomed Egypt's initiative to host an international conference with the United Nations focused on rebuilding Gaza, which has suffered extensive damage during the 15-month war with Israel. The conference date remains to be determined.
9 Comments
Rotfront
This is a win-win situation. The Palestinians get a better life, and Egypt and Jordan get much-needed financial assistance from the US.
Matzomaster
Finally, some common sense from the Arab League. The Palestinians need to be relocated to where they can have a better life.
Karamba
This is the first step towards a lasting peace in the Middle East. We should all support it.
Marishka
This is a humanitarian effort. We need to think about the well-being of the Palestinians, not just their political aspirations.
Pupsik
This is not a betrayal of the Palestinian people, it's an opportunity for them to finally have a home they can call their own.
Donatello
We need to be realistic about the situation on the ground. This is the best solution we can hope for right now.
Michelangelo
This is a bold move by Trump that could finally break the deadlock in the peace process.
Leonardo
The Palestinians are not the only people who have suffered in this conflict. It's time for all parties to compromise.
Raphael
This is not ethnic cleansing, it's relocation. There's a big difference.