Human Rights Watch Response
Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, responded on Wednesday to President Donald Trump’s proposal for the United States to take control of Gaza, calling the forced displacement of Palestinians a “moral abomination.”
“International humanitarian law forbids the forced displacement of a population in an occupied territory. When such displacement is widespread, it can amount to a war crime or a crime against humanity,” Shakir added.
Trump’s Plan
President Donald Trump presented an extraordinary proposal for the U.S. to “take over” Gaza, with the intention of spearheading redevelopment efforts to turn the war-torn area into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump announced that his administration would lead an economic reconstruction initiative to “supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”
Hamas Response
The Palestinian group Hamas, which governs Gaza, condemned the plan, calling it a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.”
“Our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass,” Hamas stated. “What is required is an end to the occupation and aggression against our people, not their expulsion from their land.”
Trump’s Stance
Trump suggested that displaced Palestinians could be resettled elsewhere, but also stated that “many people will live there,” including Palestinians.
“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 with something that will be magnificent,” he said.
