Trump’s Gaza Resettlement Proposal Sparks Accusations of Ethnic Cleansing Plan

Former President Donald Trump ignited a global firestorm after suggesting the removal of Palestinians from Gaza and resettling them in Jordan and Egypt, an idea that experts warn would amount to a large-scale ethnic cleansing operation. Foreign affairs columnist David Ignatius, writing for The Washington Post, described the proposal as a monumental blunder in foreign policy that risks destabilizing the region.

The resettlement of Palestinians without granting a right of return has long been a contentious issue. Arab nations fear the move would undermine regional stability and set a dangerous precedent in international law. Trump’s offhand remarks have only added fuel to the fire.

“Gaza is literally a demolition site right now,” Trump told reporters. He floated the idea of working with Arab nations to “build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change.” Ignatius noted that the comments appeared more like an impulsive statement than a carefully crafted policy.

“But the offhand public statement astonished moderate Arab leaders who had been looking forward to working with him,” Ignatius wrote. He warned that forcibly relocating Palestinians could destabilize Arab governments and create widespread unrest. “Trump enjoys being a disruptor, but this was closer to tossing a grenade.”

The fallout from Trump’s suggestion has been swift and sharp, both internationally and domestically. Arab-American supporters of Trump have publicly denounced the proposal. Bishara Bahbah, chair of Arab Americans for Trump, said, “We categorically reject the president’s suggestion that the Palestinians in Gaza be moved — apparently forcefully — to either Egypt or Jordan. We don’t need wildish claims or statements relating to the fate of the Palestinians.”

Ignatius highlighted the broader foreign policy consequences of Trump’s remarks. “By lighting new fires in the region, Trump reduces his ability to dampen the flames already there,” he wrote. “As a president who prizes the appearance of independence, he risks appearing a captive of the most right-wing factions in Israel, who have been among the few advocates of forcibly relocating Palestinians from Gaza.”

Ignatius also critiqued Trump’s scattered and unfocused approach to diplomacy. “With his omnidirectional barrage, Trump is starting more battles than he will be able to finish. The first directive in war is usually to concentrate fire rather than scattering it — and achieve your objectives one by one.”

While Ignatius acknowledged that not all of Trump’s foreign policy ideas are flawed, he cautioned that the former president risks undermining his sound proposals by advancing reckless ones. “He risks his good ideas by advancing a volley of bad ones, with an unfocused approach that increasingly looks like everything, everywhere, all at once.”