CAIRO — Major Arab nations have firmly rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to nearby Egypt and Jordan.
A joint statement was issued by Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League, expressing their unanimous opposition to any proposals aimed at moving Palestinians from their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Trump had proposed this idea in the previous month, indicating that he would encourage the leadership of Jordan and Egypt to accommodate Gaza’s largely displaced population, stating, “we just clean out that whole thing.” He mentioned that resettling a significant portion of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents could be either temporary or permanent. Some Israeli officials had already floated similar transfer ideas as conflict escalated.
Describing Gaza as “literally a demolition site right now,” Trump was referring to the extensive destruction resulting from Israel’s long-standing conflict with Hamas, which has recently seen a temporary pause due to a fragile ceasefire.
The collective statement from Arab representatives highlighted that any such plans “threaten the region’s stability, risk expanding the conflict, and undermine prospects for peace and coexistence among its peoples.” The remarks followed a meeting in Cairo involving high-level diplomats from notable Arab nations, including Egyptian and Jordanian officials, as well as key Palestinian leaders.
Their statement emphasized a commitment to collaborate with the Trump administration on achieving a mutually agreeable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, grounded firmly in the two-state solution framework. They also called upon the international community to assist in the planning and implementation of a thorough reconstruction initiative for Gaza, ensuring that Palestinians remain in their homeland.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi openly rejected Trump’s proposition during a recent news conference, asserting that transferring Palestinians “can’t ever be tolerated or allowed.” He underscored that the solution lies in the establishment of a Palestinian state rather than displacing its people.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, reiterated a solid and unwavering opposition to Trump’s suggestion, aligning with regional concerns that Israel may not permit the return of Palestinians once relocated. Both Egypt and Jordan have reservations about the potential repercussions that an influx of refugees would have on their already strained economies and governmental stability.
Jordan currently houses over 2 million Palestinians, while Egypt has indicated concerns regarding the security implications of relocating a large number of individuals to Sinai Peninsula, adjacent to Gaza.
Both nations were pioneers in establishing peace treaties with Israel, expressing support for the establishment of a Palestinian state encompassing the occupied West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem—territories that Israel took control of during the 1967 Six-Day War.
