Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares has rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal to “clean out” Gaza and relocate its population to Egypt and Jordan.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Albares asserted, “Our position is clear: Gazans need to stay in Gaza.”
He added that Gaza is part of the future Palestinian state, “which needs to be controlled by a single government.”
Albares also insisted that the European Union should be focused on immediately relieving “the humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza with food aid, healthcare and education and guaranteeing the presence of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
He announced that Spain would increase its financial aid to Palestine and UNRWA to 50 million euros ($52m).
“We have a window of hope in Gaza, a ceasefire that isn’t permanent, but we need to work to make it so.”
Jose Manuel Albares
The German Foreign Ministry also criticised Trump’s remarks.
A spokesperson said that the German government shared the view of “the European Union, our Arab partners, the United Nations … that the Palestinian population must not be expelled from Gaza and Gaza must not be permanently occupied or recolonised by Israel.”
Jordan is already home to several million Palestinians, while tens of thousands live in Egypt. Both countries and other Arab nations reject the idea of Palestinians in Gaza being moved to their countries.
Palestinians have also roundly condemned Trump’s proposal, which has raised concerns of ethnic cleansing.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni revealed to reporters during a visit to Saudi Arabia that she doesn’t believe Donald Trump has a “defined plan” to move Palestinians out of Gaza but welcomes a debate on the territory’s reconstruction.
Meloni, who attended Trump’s inauguration and hopes to position herself as a bridge between the US administration and the European Union, said the situation is “complex.”
“Trump is right when he says the reconstruction of Gaza is obviously one of the main challenges we face, and that to succeed, however, a great deal of involvement from the international community is needed.
“As for the issue of refugees, I don’t think, here again, that we are faced with a defined plan. I think we are rather faced with discussions with regional actors, who certainly need to be involved in this.”
Giorgia Meloni
Arab League Supports Egypt and Jordan’s Stance On Palestinian Displacement
The Secretary-General of the 22-member organisation representing the Arab world stated that the Arab League stands “firmly and principled in support” of Egypt and Jordan’s positions against US President Trump’s proposed displacement of Palestinians.
This came after Trump’s idea to move Palestinians was quickly rejected by Jordan and Egypt.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit noted that the Arab position is “unwavering” concerning Palestinians, whether in the occupied West Bank or in Gaza.
He said that resistance by the Palestinian nation, with backing from other Arab countries, will “thwart any plans to liquidate the Palestinian cause.”
Jordanian officials rejected US President Donald Trump’s suggestion to “clean out” Gaza and move 1.5 million Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt.
Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi said that all talk about an alternative homeland for the Palestinians is rejected and “we will not accept it.”
“Our position is firm against displacement and we will not waver in this regard. Any attempt to displace Palestinians from their land will not bring security to the region.”
Ayman Safadi
Meanwhile, the Jordanian House of Representatives asserted that the absurdity and denial of Palestinian rights will keep the region on a simmering and boiling plate. “We affirm our rejection of all illusions of displacement to liquidate the Palestinian cause at the expense of Jordan and Egypt,” it said.
The body added that Jordan will not be an alternative homeland for the displacement attempts against “the patient Palestinian people.”
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