Trump and Netanyahu's controversial Gaza relocation plan
The United States and Israel are reportedly interested in relocating residents of the Gaza Strip to Syria, according to American television station CBS on Monday. A source indicated that the White House has already contacted the new Syrian government through intermediaries about this issue.
However, a high-ranking government official in Damascus stated that he is not aware of discussions about relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Syria.
Trump's plan regarding the Gaza Strip
CBS also confirmed findings by the Associated Press that U.S. and Israeli authorities have been in contact with the governments of Sudan and Somalia about relocating Gaza residents.
Sudanese officials have stated that they rejected U.S. proposals, while representatives from the Somali government told journalists they are not aware of such discussions.
According to the AP, the U.S. also explored the possibility of relocating Gaza residents to Somaliland, a self-declared state that acts as a separatist region in Somalia.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced in February that the Gaza Strip should come under American control, and that Palestinians living there should be relocated to Arab countries. The American leader presents this idea as a way to break the cycle of violence in the region and transform the devastated Gaza Strip into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
Ruined Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip has been devastated by a war lasting over 15 months between Israel and the ruling organization Hamas. More than 48,000 Palestinians have died in the fighting. The Israeli campaign began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people.
In numerous statements about Gaza, Trump has presented his proposal in various versions. The American president has, for example, repeatedly said that Palestinians from Gaza should be accepted by Egypt and Jordan.
Both countries have strongly protested Trump's vision, as have other Arab states, including Syria. Arab countries have also adopted an Egyptian plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip, which envisions reconstructing the territory without displacing the population and ultimately establishing an independent Palestinian state there and on the West Bank of the Jordan River. The proposal is presented as an alternative to Trump's plan.
Israeli politicians warmly received the American president’s vision. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had consistently maintained that the government had no intention of relocating Palestinians, stated in February that he viewed Trump’s plan as the most viable option for the region.
