World shocked as Trump insists on idea of forced Palestinian relocation from Gaza

Trump’s proposal to move Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan, Egypt, or other nations has drawn global criticism; Fierce opposition from these countries highlights fears of destabilization, while analysts warn of the plan’s impracticality and potential long-term security risks 

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Lior Ben Ari|
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No longer is the concept of forced emigration of Palestinians from Gaza confined to Israeli far-right circles. With President Trump's full-throated endorsement, issued with the backing of the presidential seal, it is now firmly implanted within the realm of mainstream political thought.
Trump has proposed the relocation of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the devastated Gaza Strip during the long reonstruction– a suggestion that has sparked astonishment globally and fierce opposition from the nations he named as potential destinations: Jordan and Egypt. Other countries mentioned in reports, such as Albania and Indonesia, have also strongly denied any agreement to accept refugees under such a plan.
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עקורים פלסטינים חוזרים לצפון רצועת עזה
עקורים פלסטינים חוזרים לצפון רצועת עזה
Donald Trump has given his full-throated endorsement to removing Palestinians from Gaza
(Photo: Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP)
Trump first unveiled his proposal late Saturday night, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. He described Gaza as a "massive demolition site" and declared that to rebuild it, its residents should be relocated to Jordan or Egypt. He suggested this could even serve as a long-term solution, saying: "We’re talking about moving 1.5 million people and simply clearing out the entire area."
Despite vehement opposition from Jordan and Egypt, Trump reiterated his stance the following night, claiming to have discussed the matter with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi after an earlier conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah. However, an Egyptian official quickly denied such a conversation between Trump and Sisi had even taken place.
"I wish he’d take some of them," Trump said about the Egyptian president. "We help Egypt a lot, and I’m sure he can help us. He’s my friend." Trump added, "El-Sisi is in a very tough part of the world, to be honest. As they say – it’s a rough neighborhood. But I think he can do it."
While Israeli right-wing leaders have rushed to embrace the idea – Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich even promised to draft a practical plan for implementing Palestinian emigration – the fierce resistance from Palestinians themselves, alongside opposition from Jordan and Egypt, makes the proposal appear unfeasible. Furthermore, it remains unclear how committed Trump is to advancing the plan. Even his close ally, pro-Israel Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, expressed significant skepticism, saying in a CNN interview, "I don’t know what he’s talking about," and dismissing the idea as "not very practical."
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מלך ירדן עבדאללה פגישה עם נשיא מצרים עבד אל-פתאח א-סיסי ב קהיר
מלך ירדן עבדאללה פגישה עם נשיא מצרים עבד אל-פתאח א-סיסי ב קהיר
Not fans of Trump's idea
(Photo: AFP PHOTO / JORDANIAN ROYAL PALACE / YOUSEF ALLAN)
Publicly, Egypt and Jordan justify their opposition with pro-Palestinian statements, but both regimes, in Cairo and Amman, are primarily concerned about the threats such a move would pose to their own stability. Hassan al-Hassan, a researcher at the Bahrain Institute for Strategic Studies, told CNN that both governments would face "widespread domestic resistance" if their citizens perceived them as complicit in a "second Palestinian Nakba." He added that since Gaza’s residents would not agree to leave voluntarily, any forced relocation to Egypt or Jordan would create "a variety of existential threats" for those countries.
The fierce resistance from Palestinians themselves, alongside opposition from Jordan and Egypt, makes the proposal appear unfeasible
Egypt, already grappling with severe economic challenges, fears that absorbing large numbers of Gazan refugees would further destabilize the country. With over 100 million people – many of whom live in poverty – Egypt’s economy has only worsened during the Gaza war. Houthi attacks in the Red Sea disrupted shipping through the Suez Canal on one end, and the strait of Bab al-Mandab on the other, exacerbating the situation. According to the UN, Egypt is already hosting 877,000 refugees, most of whom are not from Gaza. However, estimates suggest that around 100,000 Gazans entered Egypt during the war, despite the government’s official stance against "the displacement of Palestinians."
Another concern for Egypt is the potential infiltration of terrorist elements into the Sinai Peninsula under the guise of accepting refugees. Sisi’s regime has long battled jihadist militants in Sinai, and the government views Gaza’s residents, particularly Hamas, as aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood – a group outlawed in Egypt. Security analyst Ron Ben-Yishai noted, "Hamas, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, is something the Egyptians prefer to keep on the other side of the high fence along the Philadelphi Corridor inside Gaza – not on their territory."
Sisi has repeatedly expressed his staunch opposition to the migration of Gazans into Egypt throughout the war. As early as October 2023, shortly after Hamas’ October 7 terror attack, Sisi declared that "the solution to the Palestinian issue will not come at Egypt’s expense. The solution is not displacement, but justice and the Palestinians’ right to self-determination." He even suggested that, if Israel insists on evacuating Palestinians from Gaza, it should move them to the Negev. Following Trump’s recent statements, senior Egyptian officials have reiterated their opposition. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atti stated yesterday, "Egypt rejects any displacement of Palestinians, whether temporary or long-term."
Jordan has similarly maintained its firm opposition to any relocation of Palestinians, with officials in Amman repeatedly emphasizing this stance in recent months. While Egypt fears the displacement of Gazans into its territory, Jordan is primarily concerned about the relocation of Palestinians from the West Bank. In November 2023, Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh declared, "Any attempt to displace Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank is a red line – and will be considered a declaration of war."
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Following Trump’s remarks, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reiterated this position two days ago, stating that "Jordan is for Jordanians, Palestine is for Palestinians, and the solution to the Palestinian issue lies on Palestinian soil, where their independent state must be established. No to displacement. Not only because it is a historic and consistent national position for Jordan, but also because any attempt to uproot Palestinians from their land will destabilize security and stability and will not bring peace. The Palestinian issue cannot be solved at Jordan’s expense."
Jordan also fears that absorbing large numbers of Palestinians would destabilize the delicate balance of power between its Bedouin tribes and its 2.39 million registered Palestinian refugees. The arrival of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands more could upset this balance. Jordan, like Egypt, is already economically strained, having absorbed large numbers of Syrian refugees during the civil war. The addition of Gazan refugees would further burden its fragile economy.
Timothy Kaldas, deputy director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington, noted that the cost of absorbing so many refugees would be so high for Egypt and Jordan that even U.S. aid would not suffice. Al-Hassan, the Bahraini researcher, warned, "Neither Egypt nor Jordan can afford to take in millions of additional refugees."
He also cautioned that the influx of refugees could create future security risks, as their presence in Egypt and Jordan might lead to attacks against Israel. "By seeking to empty Gaza of its Palestinian residents, Trump is serving the fanatics on Israel’s far right," Al-Hassan accused. "Ironically, his proposal, if implemented, would be self-defeating," he argued, warning that destabilizing Jordan and Egypt could empower Islamist forces like the Muslim Brotherhood, which "would be far less friendly to Israel and more sympathetic to Hamas."
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