Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” Gaza and displace 1.8 million Palestinians to turn the devastated enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East” has been met with strong criticism and scepticism from European countries, which warned the idea would run roughshod over the two-state solution.
France
France delivered an unambiguous rejection of Trump’s plan, saying the forced transfer of the Palestinian population to enable the American supervision would “constitute a serious violation of international law, an attack on the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and also a major obstacle to the two-state solution.”
Spain and Ireland
Spain and Ireland, two countries that last year recognised the State of Palestine, voiced opposition against the unexpected proposal, which upends decades of America’s foreign policy.
“I want to make something very clear: Gaza is the land of Palestinian Gazans and they must remain in Gaza,” Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Wednesday morning. “Gaza is part of the future Palestinian state.”
His Irish counterpart, Simon Harris, said he would judge the White House “based on what they do.
“We need a two-state solution, and the people of Palestine and the people of Israel both have a right to live in states safely side by side and that’s where the focus has to be,Any idea of displacing the people of Gaza anywhere else would be in clear contradiction with UN Security Council resolutions,” Harris added.
Italy
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani: “It seems to me that as far as the evacuation of the civilian population from Gaza is concerned, the response of Jordan and Egypt has been negative, so it seems to me that it is a bit difficult (to implement the plan),” Tajani said.
Netherlands
“For the Netherlands, there is no doubt: Gaza belongs to the Palestinians,” Veldkamp said. “Our position is and remains unchanged: the Netherlands supports a two-state solution. That means an independent, viable Palestinian state alongside a safe Israel.”
Previously, Trump had suggested that Jordan and Egypt should be prepared to take in around two million displaced Palestinians – a proposal both countries have rejected.
On Wednesday, Jordan’s King Abdullah stuck down “any attempts to annex land and displace the Palestinians,”
