France and Germany have rejected President Trump’s proposal to resettle Palestinians out of Gaza as illegal and unacceptable.
“France reiterates its opposition to any forced displacement of the Palestinian population of Gaza, which would constitute a serious violation of international law, an attack on the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians, but also a major obstacle to the two-state solution”, said a spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Expelling the Palestinian civilian population from Gaza would not only be unacceptable and contrary to international law, it would also lead to new suffering and new hatred”, said the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock.
In a press conference with Israel’s Prime Minister, the US President appeared to suggest he would clear out the Gaza strip for a wholesale redevelopment.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too, will own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site; level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area”, President Trump said last night.
The US will create a “Riviera of the Middle East”, Trump added.
“We all agree that Gaza must be rebuilt as quickly as possible”, Germany’s Annalena Baerbock said. But “the civilian population of Gaza must not be expelled and Gaza must not be permanently occupied or repopulated. There must be no solution over the heads of the Palestinians.”
Instead, “a negotiated two-state solution remains the only solution that enables Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace, security and dignity. This is also the clear position of the Arab states in the region”, she added.
The French government warned that Trump’s comment could result in “a major destabilizing factor for our close partners Egypt and Jordan as well as for the entire region. France will continue to mobilize for the implementation of the two-state solution, the only one that can guarantee long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.”
Clearing out a population is illegal under international law including under the Geneva convention, which the US is signed up to.
There has been no official response to Trump’s proposals from the European Union.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said “the people of Gaza have suffered to an almost unimaginable degree. We have seen the death of so many children, so many civilians, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the immediate priority must, of course, be making sure the ceasefire holds, that the bombings have stopped, that the hostages are released.
And I do welcome the positive role the United States played in helping to bring about a ceasefire and I would respectfully suggest that there’s an onus on all of us now in the international community to keep our focus on that.”
“Of course when it comes to the future of Gaza, it will, of course, need international support, there’s no doubt about that. The scale of rebuilding is on a scale again almost unimaginable.”
“We need a two state solution and the people of Palestine and the people of Israel both have a right to live in states safely side by side.”
“Any idea of displacing the people of Gaza anywhere else would be in clear contradiction with UN Security Council resolutions.”