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5th February 2025
09:54am GMT
Donald Trump has been accused of "openly calling for ethnic cleansing" with his plan for Gaza that could see the US take control of the area.
The new president said that the US will take over Gaza in order to redevelop it, turning it into the 'Riviera of the Middle East'.
While speaking alongside Israeli leader, Netanyahu, Trump said that the US will 'own' Gaza and that the two million Palestinians living there would go to 'various domains'.
Trump also hinted at potentially sending US troops to Gaza saying: "We'll do what's necessary."
According to Sky News, Trump said that the US would "develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs" and turn it into "something the entire Middle East can be very proud of".
These claims have now been criticised widely with many casting doubt on Trump's plans.
One of the most vocal voices of opposition to the new plan is Democrat Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American member of US Congress,
Tlaib said: "This president is openly calling for ethnic cleansing while sitting next to a genocidal war criminal.
"He's perfectly fine cutting off working Americans from federal funds while the funding to the Israeli government continues flowing."
Sky News said that a forced displacement of Gaza's population would likely be in violation of international law.
It would also be unpopular in the Middle East and with America's Western allies.
Trump has yet to give a detailed plan on how such a mass displacement would be undertaken.
Former Middle East adviser Aaron David Miller compared the idea to the wishes of Israel's far right, saying Trump's comments had given Netanyahu a "huge pass".
"He validated almost every right-wing fantasy in Israel," he added.
Trump echoed his recent suggestion that Palestinians could be relocated to Jordan and Egypt, despite both countries rejecting this suggestion.
Trump added: "I hope we could do something where they wouldn't want to go back. Who would want to go back?
"They've experienced nothing but death and destruction."
The US President added that he sees a 'long term ownership position' which he believes would bring stability to the Middle East.
He said: "This was not a decision made lightly. Everybody I've spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs."
"It would be the Riviera of the Middle East".
He also claimed that Palestinians should not return to Gaza as it's a "guarantee that they're going to end up dying".
