Rabat – Egypt and Jordan made it clear on Sunday that they do not accept Donald Trump’s controversial plan to relocate Gazans to their territory.
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement on its X, expressing the country’s commitment to “the principles and determinants of political solution of the Palestinian cause.”
The statement said that Egypt refuses any resettlement plans that will deprive Palestinian people of their fundamental human rights.
The ministry further maintained that any solution to the Israel-Palestine long-standing conflict should be in line with international and humanitarian laws.
While rejecting any action that would include any relocation of the Palestinian people from Gaza, “be it temporary or permanent,” the statement also expressed Egypt’s constant support for the Palestinian people, who are rebounding from a 14-month genocidal orchestrated by Israel.
As for Jordan, the country’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said in a joint press conference with Sigrid Kaag in Amman, “Our principles are clear, and Jordan’s steadfast position to uphold the Palestinians’ presence on their land remains unchanged and will never change.”
He further explained that “The solution to the Palestinian issue lies in Palestine; Jordan is for Jordanians and Palestine is for Palestinians,” adding that Jordan’s rejection is “steadfast and essential for achieving the stability and peace we all seek.”
Egypt’s move comes following a series of controversial proposals that US President Donald Trump recently made in an interview while onboard AirForce One.
Trump said he wants Egypt and Jordan to expand their intake of Palestinian refugees, in an effort to “clean out” the war-torn enclave.
Read also: Displaced Palestinians Make Journey Back to War-Torn Northern Gaza
The US president said he had already spoken with King Abdullah II of Jordan about his proposal saying the relocation “could be temporary or long term.”
He also said he intends to speak with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the matter on Sunday.
Trump’s controversial resettlement proposition involves removing more Gazans from their land and “build[ing] housing in a different location” across regional countries as new homes for them. He suggested that this is “where they can maybe live in peace for a change.”
Egypt and Jordan’s rejection echoes the voices of Palestinians who received the news about the proposal with great anger, strongly asserting that it will worsen the already dire situation.
Analysts, critics, and Palestinian groups alike suspect that the “temporary” suggestion will end up being a permanent solution if implemented. Despite the fact that the newly-elected president says that his intention is to find Palestinians a “peaceful” place to temporarily relocate, observers warn that this rhetoric could be steeped in Zionist ideology and warn of ethnic cleansing.
Hamas strongly rejected Trump’s proposed plan on Sunday, vowing to foil any displacement project the same as they did with other resettlement attempts over the years.
