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US appears to backtrack as Trump Gaza plan sparks global outcry

US President Donald Trump’s administration appeared to backtrack Wednesday after his proposal to take over Gaza sparked uproar, with the United Nations warning against “ethnic cleansing” in the Palestinian territory.Facing a wave of criticism from Palestinians, Arab governments and world leaders, Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any transfer of Gazans would be temporary, while the White House said there was no commitment to sending US troops.Trump, however, insisted “everybody loves” the plan, which he announced to audible gasps during a White House press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Offering few details on how the United States could remove more than two million Palestinians or control the war-battered territory, Trump declared Tuesday: “The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it.”Rubio said the idea “was not meant as hostile,” describing it as a “generous move — the offer to rebuild and to be in charge of the rebuilding.”White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said Washington would not fund Gaza’s reconstruction after more than 15 months of war between US ally Israel and Palestinian group Hamas.US involvement “does not mean boots on the ground” or that “American taxpayers will be funding this effort,” Leavitt said.The United Nations warned against ethnic cleansing in Gaza.”At its essence, the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people is about the right of Palestinians to simply live as human beings in their own land,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a speech to a UN committee that deals with the rights of Palestinians.Guterres’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric, previewing the UN chief’s speech, told reporters: “Any forced displacement of people is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt said any forced displacement of the Palestinians would be unacceptable.”It would be a serious violation of international law, an obstacle to the two-state solution and a major destabilising force for Egypt and Jordan,” the two leaders said.Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called it a “shocking” plan and “a continuation of the Zionist regime’s (Israel) targeted plan to completely annihilate the Palestinian nation.”Palestinian officials, Arab leaders and rights groups swiftly condemned Trump’s remarks.Hamas, which took control of Gaza in 2007, rejected the proposal, branding it “racist” and “aggressive”.Leavitt said Trump wanted Palestinians to be only “temporarily relocated” out of Gaza.”It’s not a liveable place for any human being,” she said.- ‘We will remain’ -Israel’s military offensive in response to Hamas’s October 2023 attack has left much of Gaza in ruins, including schools, hospitals and most civil infrastructure. Rights group Human Rights Watch said the destruction of Gaza “reflects a calculated Israeli policy to make parts of the strip unlivable.”  Trump’s proposed plan “would move the US from being complicit in war crimes to direct perpetration of atrocities,” said Lama Fakih, an HRW regional director.Trump, who also suggested he might visit Gaza, appeared to imply it would not be rebuilt for Palestinians.But Leavitt later said he had been “very clear” that he expected Egypt, Jordan and others “to accept Palestinian refugees, temporarily, so that we can rebuild their home.”Even before Tuesday’s explosive proposal, Trump had suggested residents of Gaza should move to Egypt and Jordan. Palestinians, however, have vowed to stay on.”They can do whatever they want, but we will remain steadfast in our homeland,” said 41-year-old Gaza resident Ahmed Halasa.- ‘Winning’ -In Washington, Netanyahu hailed Trump as Israel’s “greatest friend” and praised his “willingness to think outside the box.”Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday night, he called Trump’s proposal “remarkable” and “the first good idea that I’ve heard.” “I think it should be really pursued, examined, pursued and done, because I think it will create a different future for everyone.”But he also suggested it did not mean Palestinians leaving the territory forever.”They can leave, they can then come back, they can relocate and come back, but you have to rebuild Gaza.”The Gaza war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.Israel’s retaliatory response has killed at least 47,518 people in Gaza, the majority civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.burs-hg/aha/dhc/sn

Trump’s Gaza ‘takeover’ marks sharp break from US policy

By proposing to “take over” Gaza, US President Donald Trump has not only stunned the world but also departed from long-standing US policy in supporting a Palestinian state.The president, known for provocative statements, spoke Tuesday of permanently displacing Palestinians from the war-devastated Gaza Strip, expressing his desire to transform the Palestinian territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”His comments sparked worldwide outcry Wednesday, particularly in the Arab world, as they appeared to challenge Palestinians’ right to self-determination, with critics denouncing it as potential “ethnic cleansing.”The Republican billionaire, who portrays himself as a pragmatist with a transactional approach to foreign policy, hasn’t ruled out sending troops to the region.The White House moved quickly  Wednesday to temper his remarks. Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt clarified that the United States would not “finance” reconstruction in Gaza and had not “committed” to sending troops.Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Guatemala, defended Trump’s intentions: “It was meant as, I think, a very generous move — the offer to rebuild and to be in charge of the rebuilding.”He also said that Trump only wants Palestinians to leave Gaza temporarily while the territory is reconstructed.- Negotiating tactic or distraction? -It remained unclear whether the president floated his proposal as a negotiating tactic or a distraction, as Israel and Hamas prepare to negotiate the second phase of the ceasefire agreement that took effect January 19.This second phase aims to secure the release of remaining hostages and achieve a definitive end to the war triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.”Trump’s remarks about relocating Palestinians would all but guarantee a broader regional conflict if he seriously pursues the idea,” said Sina Toossi of the Center for International Policy, noting that it “would shatter long-standing US policy on a two-state solution in which a Palestinian state includes Gaza.””In the short term, a key question is whether Trump will push (Israeli leader Benjamin) Netanyahu to fully implement the ceasefire deal in Gaza, including its critical second phase, or if he will instead allow Netanyahu and his hawkish cabinet to restart the war,” Toossi added.The events that unfolded Tuesday during the Israeli prime minister’s Washington visit were remarkable on multiple levels.Trump’s advisors, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and national security advisor Mike Waltz, initially questioned the feasibility of Gaza reconstruction, noting that the Palestinian territory would be uninhabitable for years.- Is he serious? -Trump, who had already caused controversy 10 days earlier with his suggestion to “just clean out” Gaza, claimed Palestinians “would love” to leave the territory, which he described as a “demolition site.”He later received a beaming Netanyahu at the White House, emphasizing the need to relocate Palestinians before unexpectedly proposing to take “possession” of Palestinian territory to make it a “beautiful place.”Netanyahu, who opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, praised Trump as someone who “thinks outside the box.”In making these statements, Trump, who rarely explicitly addresses the prospect of a Palestinian state, broke with decades of Western foreign policy — supporting a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine coexist.”It is very hard to know how seriously to take Trump’s comments, though they certainly seem to undercut the idea that his administration supports a two-state solution,” said Brian Finucane, a US foreign policy expert at the International Crisis Group in Washington.But he added it didn’t seem like Palestinians would voluntarily leave Gaza, nor would countries in the region would agree to such a plan.

UN chief warns against Gaza ‘ethnic cleansing’ after Trump comments

The UN chief warned Wednesday against ethnic cleansing in Gaza as he rejected US President Donald Trump’s bombshell proposal for the United States to take control of the Palestinian territory and displace all its people.Trump, in a White House news conference on Tuesday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stunningly proposed “long-term ownership” of Gaza by the United States, triggering an international uproar.The remarks came after he has repeatedly called in recent days for the war-ravaged territory’s residents to move to Jordan or Egypt.”At its essence, the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people is about the right of Palestinians to simply live as human beings in their own land,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a speech to a UN committee that deals with the rights of Palestinians.But, he added, “we have seen the realization of those rights steadily slip farther out of reach.””We have seen a chilling, systematic dehumanization and demonization of an entire people,” Guterres said.Guterres said nothing justified the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza but “the catalogue of destruction and unspeakable horrors” that came as Israel attacked Gaza relentlessly in reprisal could not be justified either.UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, asked specifically about the Trump proposal, said “any forced displacement of people is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.””It is vital that we stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.”After an international outcry, Trump administration officials tried Wednesday to walk back the Trump proposal, saying any displacement of the Palestinians of Gaza would be temporary while the largely destroyed territory is rebuilt. Trump had also not committed to deploying US troops to carry out his plan, they said.Guterres insisted on the idea of a two-state solution with Israel and the Palestinians living side by side in peace.”Any durable peace will require tangible, irreversible and permanent progress toward the two-State solution, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part,’ he said.To that end, Palestinian envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour called for a “successful” international conference at the United Nations to discuss the issue, scheduled for June and co-chaired by Saudia Arabia and France. Even with large parts of Gaza’s north in ruins, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have returned since late January, under a fragile truce that has halted more than 15 months of war.Gaza’s north, which includes Gaza City, has been devastated by Israel’s military offensive launched after Hamas’s 2023 attack, with homes, hospitals, schools and almost all civil infrastructure flattened.Mansour reiterated Palestinians’ rejection of Trump’s plan to take over Gaza.”We are not going to leave Gaza,” he said. “It is part of our homeland, and we don’t have a homeland other than the State of Palestine.”He added that Palestinians would be “delighted” to return to their homes in present-day Israel from where they were “kicked from.”

Trump bid to take over Gaza, move Palestinians faces backlash

Palestinians, Arab governments and world leaders rejected on Wednesday US President Donald Trump’s shock proposal to take over the Gaza Strip and resettle its people, even as he insisted that “everybody loves” the idea.Trump made his initial announcement of the plan to audible gasps during a White House press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.In a proposal that lacked details on how the United States could move out more than two million Palestinians or control Gaza, Trump said he would make the territory “unbelievable” by redeveloping it after removing unexploded bombs and rubble.”The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,” he said, adding that there was support from the “highest leadership” in the Middle East.But hours later, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates hit back, as have China, Britain, France, Germany and the United Nations.Netanyahu, however, welcomed the idea, saying it could “change history” and was worth “paying attention to”.Suggesting “long-term ownership” by the United States, Trump said his idea would make it “the Riviera of the Middle East. This could be something that could be so magnificent.”Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in 2007, rejected the proposal, branding it “racist”.The group said the proposal to “occupy” the territory was “aggressive to our people and cause, won’t serve stability in the region and will only put oil on the fire”.Asked about the widespread criticism of his plan, Trump told reporters in the White House on Wednesday that “everybody loves it.”Much of Gaza was levelled in a 15-month war triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, and Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for sealing a ceasefire agreement that took effect last month.- ‘Miserable existence’ -While Netanyahu’s US visit was billed to focus on a second phase of the truce, it quickly turned into the revelation of a proposal that would, if implemented, completely transform the Middle East.Trump, who also floated travelling to Gaza, appeared to suggest it would not be rebuilt for Palestinians.”It should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have… lived there and died there and lived a miserable existence there,” he said.Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas rejected the proposal, saying “legitimate Palestinian rights are not negotiable” and that it would constitute a “serious violation” of international law.A spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it was “essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing”, while UN human rights chief Volker Turk said deporting people from occupied territory was “strictly prohibited” under international law.It is not the first time that Trump has suggested Palestinians should move from Gaza. In recent days, he has cited Egypt and Jordan as possible destinations, but people from the territory have said they want to stay.”They can do whatever they want, but we will remain steadfast in our homeland,” said 41-year-old Gazan Ahmed Halasa.For Palestinians, any attempts to force them out of Gaza would evoke dark memories of what the Arab world calls the “Nakba”, or catastrophe — the mass displacement of Palestinians during Israel’s creation in 1948.Israelis in Jerusalem welcomed Trump’s proposal, though some did not believe it could be achieved.”I really like what he said, but in my wildest dreams… it’s hard for me to believe it will happen, but who knows,” said Refael, a 65-year-old massage therapist.Trump was vague on the details, but hinted it could require US boots on the ground “if necessary”.Egypt and Jordan have rejected any resettlement from Gaza, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty calling for a swift reconstruction “without the Palestinians leaving”.Jordan’s King Abdullah II, in a meeting with Abbas, rejected “any attempts” to take control of Palestinian territories and displace people.- ‘Moral stain’ -In Washington, Netanyahu hailed Trump as Israel’s “greatest friend” and praised his “willingness to think outside the box”.The Israeli premier would not rule out a return to hostilities with Hamas, or with its other foes in the region including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran.”We will end the war by winning the war,” Netanyahu said, while vowing to secure the return of all hostages held in Gaza.He voiced confidence a deal with Saudi Arabia to normalise relations was “going to happen”.But Riyadh said it would not formalise ties with Israel without a Palestinian state, while rejecting any “attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land”.Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also lashed out, saying relocating Palestinians was something “neither we nor the region can accept”.The UAE rejected “any attempts of displacement”, saying “regional stability can only be attained through the two-state solution”.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Gazans “must be allowed home. They must be allowed to rebuild.”German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Gaza “belongs to the Palestinians”, while Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said: “We are opposed to the forced transfer of the residents of Gaza.”The Arab League said Trump’s proposal was a “recipe for instability”.Israeli human rights group B’Tselem described Trump’s plan as “deranged and reprehensible” and a “moral stain on all involved”.The Gaza war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.Israel’s retaliatory response has killed at least 47,518 people in Gaza, the majority civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.burs-ser/ysm/ami