Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, has strongly opposed United States President, Donald Trump’s recent proposal to “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Abbas’s office declared that the Palestinian leadership had firmly rejected any attempts to seize Gaza and displace its people from their homeland.
“President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership expressed their strong rejection of calls to seize the Gaza Strip and displace Palestinians outside their homeland,” the statement read, adding that “legitimate Palestinian rights are not negotiable.”
Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina, reading the statement on Palestinian public television, emphasised that the Gaza Strip “is an integral part of the State of Palestine.”
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by Abbas, also condemned Trump’s proposal to relocate Gazans to Egypt or Jordan.
Its Secretary-General, Hussein al-Sheikh, reiterated, “We reject all calls for the displacement of Palestinians from their homeland.”
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, welcomed Trump’s proposal for a US takeover of Gaza, envisioning a “long-term ownership” of the enclave, which would involve resettling Palestinians in other states.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Israel Prime Minister had praised Trump describing him as the Jewish state’s “best friend” for thinking “outside the box.”
During the conference, Trump had announced plans for the US to assume control of the enclave, clear the remains of damaged buildings, and rebuild it.
He also reiterated his position that Palestinians should be permanently resettled outside of Gaza.
Responding, Netanyahu described it as a potentially historic move, noting that one of the Jewish state’s key goals in the 15-month conflict was “to make sure Gaza never poses a threat to Israel again.”
Netanyahu also commended Trump’s willingness to challenge conventional thinking and explore fresh ideas to achieve their goals.
“President Trump is taking it to a much higher level. He sees a different future for that piece of land,” Netanyahu said. “He has a different idea, and I think it’s worth paying attention to.”
“I think it’s something that could change history,” Netanyahu added, noting that both sides are discussing the possibilities. “Your willingness to puncture conventional thinking – thinking that has failed time and time again – your willingness to think outside the box with fresh ideas will help us achieve all these goals.”
The Israeli leader also stressed that Trump was the “greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.” He highlighted several pro-Israel policies from Trump’s first term, including recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, moving the US embassy there, formally endorsing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and withdrawing from the “disastrous Iran nuclear deal.”
According to Trump’s plan, the US would take control of Gaza and redevelop it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” while roughly 2 million Palestinian residents would be resettled elsewhere. When asked whether the plan included deploying US soldiers to Gaza, Trump said he would send troops if “necessary.”
