Palestinians ‘Categorically Reject’ Trump’s Gaza Plan, PIJ Leader Tells TML
Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians and develop Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East” faces widespread backlash in the Arab world, with critics warning the plan disregards Palestinian rights and undermines regional stability
US President Donald Trump’s recent press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington has sent shock waves across the Middle East. Among the most controversial topics discussed was the future of Gaza, with President Trump reportedly floating a plan to impose US control over the enclave, relocate Palestinians to neighboring countries, and transform Gaza into a luxurious coastal resort—a so-called “Riviera of the Middle East.” The proposal, along with Trump’s continued support for Israeli control over the West Bank, has ignited fierce backlash in the Palestinian territories and across the wider Arab world, particularly in Jordan and Egypt.
Critics warn that the plan disregards the rights of the Palestinian people and threatens to upend the regional order. With resistance growing and international opposition mounting, President Trump’s vision for Gaza and the West Bank could further ignite instability in a region already teetering on the edge of conflict.
Let me be clear—the Palestinian people categorically reject this plan.
Hayssam Abu Ghazlan, a leader in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, dismissed President Trump’s plan for Gaza as a blatant act of ethnic cleansing. “Let me be clear—the Palestinian people categorically reject this plan,” Abu Ghazlan told The Media Line.
He said that according to an Israeli poll, around three-quarters of Israelis support President Trump’s proposal, which he characterized as heavy-handed. “Trump presents Gaza as if it were a real estate development plan, completely ignoring the political, demographic, and social issues that such a move would create,” he said.
Gaza is now being internationalized, which means it is under international law—not Palestinian law, not Israeli law, but under the power of external forces.
Jordanian political analyst Amer Sabaileh warned that President Trump’s proposal would represent a dangerous shift in regional governance. “Gaza is now being internationalized, which means it is under international law—not Palestinian law, not Israeli law, but under the power of external forces,” he told The Media Line.
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Sabaileh cautioned that such an arrangement could permanently strip Palestinians of their agency. “Their presence in Gaza is now depending too much on what the international community or what the Americans want,” he said. “And this has never happened before in history.”
President Trump himself has framed the issue of relocating Palestinians from Gaza as a necessary humanitarian move given the unlivable conditions in Gaza. Sabaileh noted that that reality complicates the issue of relocation, which many critics of the plan fear would become permanent.
“Some people are suffering and cannot wait to leave,” he said. “Those who will leave for medical purposes might not come back, also those who have been seeing their kids suffering or dying.”
Egypt has been one of the most vocal opponents of Trump’s plan, particularly when it comes to the potential displacement of Palestinians into the country’s Sinai Peninsula. “Egypt’s stance has always been clear and explicit since the beginning of the crisis,” Mohamed Gamal, an Egyptian journalist specializing in international affairs, told The Media Line. “Cairo has stated for over a year that there will be no displacement.”
Gamal said that this position is deeply ingrained in Egyptian society. “This is not just the political leadership’s stance in Egypt; it is also a significant public sentiment capable of resisting any plans,” he explained.
Public opposition to the proposal in Egypt has been robust. “We saw last week tens of thousands of Egyptians at the Rafah crossing yelling against Trump’s plans and rejecting them in every form,” Gamal said.
Gamal said Cairo will likely maintain its stance against President Trump’s proposal even if it faces pressure from the US.
“Egypt, which previously rejected significant temptations, will not acquiesce now, regardless of the inducements,” he said.
While President Trump’s comments on Gaza have drawn the most attention, his stance on the West Bank is equally concerning, Gamal said. He described the situation in the West Bank as “akin to a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.”
Without explicitly discussing the future of the West Bank, President Trump seems poised to support Israel in “imposing its complete control” over the territory, Gamal said.
Sabaileh, the Jordanian, offered a similar analysis. “My fear is that Trump will not talk about the West Bank too much, but it is clear from the actions on the ground what we are really heading towards,” he said.
Imposing full Israeli control over the West Bank would be destabilizing for the 3 million or so Palestinians who live in the territory, and Abu Ghazlan warned that such a move would lead to backlash. “Israel aims to finalize its control over the West Bank by imposing what it calls ‘Israeli sovereignty.’ Their objective is to eliminate any possibility of a Palestinian state. The Palestinian people will not accept this, and resistance will remain a central pillar of our struggle,” he said.
The Palestinians will not leave their land at any cost, and Egypt will not accept displacement, nor will any other country in the region.
Similarly, Gamal warned that pursuing the Trump plan could have unintended consequences for Israel and the US. “This battle could serve as a knockout blow to both of you,” he said, addressing Trump and Netanyahu. “The Palestinians will not leave their land at any cost, and Egypt will not accept displacement, nor will any other country in the region.”
He urged Trump to reconsider the plan. “Think carefully and study possible solutions to end the conflict and establish peace,” he said.
