Arab foreign ministers have reportedly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion to transfer Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan, calling it a destabilizing move that would threaten peace in the region,
In order to reaffirm their commitment to upholding Palestinians’ rights to their land, ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League issued a joint statement following a meeting in Cairo, Reuters reports.
The statement condemned any attempts to displace Palestinians or alter the status of Gaza, which they consider an integral part of a future independent Palestinian state.
Trump’s suggestion came after 15 months of Israeli bombardment that left much of Gaza in ruins and millions homeless.
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He had proposed that Egypt and Jordan take in Gazans, a proposal quickly rejected by both countries, as well as by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
“Displacement of the Palestinian people from their land is an injustice that we cannot take part in,” Fattah al-Sisi added, Al Jazeera reports.
Critics argue that the proposal could lead to ethnic cleansing, as it would force Palestinians to leave their homeland.
The Arab foreign ministers also expressed support for Egypt’s efforts to host an international conference with the United Nations to rebuild Gaza, although no date has been set.
They emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution based on a two-state solution, reaffirming their desire to work with the U.S. administration to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.
The rejection of Trump’s idea underscores the deep sensitivities surrounding the fate of Palestinians and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
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