3rd Thursday Middle East Action Alert: Tell the White House and Congress to Reject President Trump’s proposal to “own” Gaza

Following their meeting at the White House on Feb. 4, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a joint press conference in which Pres. Trump revealed a plan for the US to “take over the Gaza Strip” and “own it,” and “Do a real job. Do something different.”  He described Gaza as a potential “Riviera on the Mediterranean,” and even said that the US would use US troops, if necessary.  As for the Palestinians, President Trump said that they all would all be forced to leave to settle somewhere else, proposing Egypt and Jordan.  The Arab League has unequivocally rejected Pres. Trump’s proposal, which violates international law, as has King Abdullah of Jordan who met with Pres, Trump last week.  Egypt’s president has suggested that he would not visit Washington if the proposal to displace Palestinians from Gaza remains on the table.

This “vision” is one that is flawed in many ways.  First and foremost, it violates the Rome Statute of international law, which states that forcible transfer of people is a war crime and a crime against humanity.  Further, after 16 months of Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, more than 46,000 Palestinians are dead, a number that is surely conservative; most of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians are suffering food insecurity and almost all are displaced, some multiple times; homes and communities are destroyed; and while a ceasefire is being implemented, it is fragile.  Despite these massive losses and suffering, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are returning to their homes in northern Gaza, wanting nothing other than to rebuild what they can and live on their land.  President Trump has not only ignored the wishes of the Palestinian people, but has instead assumed to know what is best for them, saying that they would have “no right” to return even after reconstruction.

After 17 years of Israeli blockade, 57 years of Israeli occupation and control, and 78 years since most of Gaza’s current residents were made refugees in the Nakba in 1948, President Trump’s proposal would either replace or solidify Israeli control of Gaza by adding American occupation.

Pres. Trump’s statement that Gaza is “hell” and his wondering why anyone would want to live there are tacit admissions of the total destruction that Israel has wrought on Gaza, with the full backing of the US during the Biden Administration.  Nonetheless, Pres. Trump has requested the approval of an additional $1 billion in arms sales to Israel and cleared $7 billion in arms sales, bypassing Congress.

Tell the White House and Congress to reject President Trump’s proposal to “own” Gaza as a violation of international law and of the Palestinian right to self-determination; and that the suffering of the people of Gaza must end.  Israel’s war on the Palestinian people, the continued provision of US arms and military assistance, the Israeli occupation of Gaza must all cease.  The pace of delivery of humanitarian aid must be hastened and the quantity increased; unfettered access must be granted.  Israel’s campaign against Palestinians in the West Bank must also end.  The US must not supply Israel with more arms or military assistance, including weapons sales.  And there must be accountability. The human rights and rights under international humanitarian law of the Palestinian people of Gaza to life, to homes, to dignity, to self-determination, and to return must all be ensured.