https://arab.news/2zwg3
- The regional bloc was reacting to US President Trump's suggestion to 鈥渃lean out鈥� the Gaza Strip and move its population to Egypt and Jordan
- Egyptian President El-Sisi has repeatedly warned that any planned displacement would threaten Egypt鈥檚 national security
CAIRO: The Arab League on Sunday warned against 鈥渁ttempts to uproot the Palestinian people from their land,鈥� after US President Donald Trump suggested a plan to 鈥渃lean out鈥� the Gaza Strip and move its population to Egypt and Jordan.
鈥淭he forced displacement and eviction of people from their land can only be called ethnic cleansing,鈥� the regional bloc鈥檚 general secretariat said in a statement.
鈥淎ttempts to uproot the Palestinian people from their land, whether by displacement, annexation or settlement expansion, have been proven to fail in the past,鈥� the statement added.
Earlier Sunday, Egypt vehemently expressed its objection to Trump's suggestion.
Cairo鈥檚 foreign ministry in a statement expressed Egypt鈥檚 鈥渃ontinued support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land.鈥�
It 鈥渞ejected any infringement on those inalienable rights, whether by settlement or annexation of land, or by the depopulation of that land of its people through displacement, encouraged transfer or the uprooting of Palestinians from their land, whether temporarily or long-term.鈥�
After 15 months of war, Trump said Gaza had become a 鈥渄emolition site鈥� and he would 鈥渓ike Egypt to take people, and I鈥檇 like Jordan to take people.鈥�
Moving Gaza鈥檚 inhabitants could be done 鈥渢emporarily or could be long term,鈥� he said.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 both countries have warned of plans to displace Palestinians from Gaza into neighboring Egypt and from the West Bank into Jordan.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with whom Trump said he would speak on Sunday, has repeatedly warned that said displacement would aim to 鈥渆radicate the cause for Palestinian statehood.鈥�
El-Sisi has described the prospect as a 鈥渞ed line鈥� that would threaten Egypt鈥檚 national security.
The Egyptian foreign ministry on Sunday urged the implementation of the 鈥渢wo-state solution,鈥� which Cairo has said would become impossible if Palestinians were removed from their territories.