News Brief
Trump Proposes Relocating Palestinians To Jordan, Egypt To 'Clean Out' Gaza Strip
Former US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump on Saturday (25 January) said he would like to see Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab nations accept more Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip.
Trump suggested relocating enough of the population to “just clean out” the war-torn region, aiming to create what he described as a virtual clean slate.
Arab states, especially Jordan and Egypt, have long resisted such proposals, viewing the mass migration of Palestinians as a potential existential threat.
They have cited Israel’s reluctance to guarantee the return of Palestinians who leave the Gaza Strip and are wary of appearing complicit in their exile.
Many Palestinians are reluctant to leave due to fears of not being allowed to return.
During the war that began on 7 October 2023, over 100,000 Palestinians managed to enter Egypt, often paying high fees.
However, they received little assistance upon arrival, as Egypt refuses to recognise them as refugees.
The Biden administration had initially explored the idea of temporarily relocating some Palestinians to safeguard them during the conflict.
However, Jordan and Egypt’s strong opposition led to the quick abandonment of the proposal.
On Saturday, Trump brought back the idea of mass Palestinian migration to neighbouring countries, a move aligning with his unorthodox approach to foreign policy.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump referred to Gaza as a “demolition site” after the Israel-Hamas war.
He mentioned discussing the issue with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and expected further talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Trump shared that he told Abdullah, “I’d love you to take on more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess. I’d like him to take people.”
When asked if this was a temporary or long-term suggestion, Trump said, “Could be either.
“You’re talking about probably a million and half people, and we just clean out that whole thing. You know, over the centuries it’s had many, many conflicts, that site. And I don’t know, something has to happen,” Trump said, Times of Israel reported.
During his presidential campaign in October, Trump said that war-torn Gaza could be “better than Monaco” if it were “rebuilt the right way.”
“It’s literally a demolition site right now. Almost everything is demolished and people are dying there,” Trump said on Saturday.
“So I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change," he added.
