Human rights advocates condemn Trump’s proposal for Gaza ownership

Donald Trump's recent statement calling for the United States to "take over" Gaza, following the displacement of its Palestinian population, has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights advocates and politicians alike. During a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump suggested that the U.S. should acquire the Palestinian territory, escalating his previous calls for the forced depopulation of Gaza. Critics argue that such remarks not only advocate ethnic cleansing but also breach international law, specifically the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the acquisition of land by force.

Ethnic cleansing, defined by UN experts in 1994 as the systematic removal of a civilian population through violent means, is a key concern among those opposing Trump's statement. The U.S. president's rationale for the forced displacement of Palestinians stems from his belief that Gaza has been reduced to a “demolition site” following extensive U.S.-backed Israeli bombardments. Trump’s words were met with a range of responses, from concerns about the broader implications for global peace to the assertion that his actions echo historical injustices.

Abed Ayoub of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee called the proposal “terrifying” and warned that it would lead to significant instability in the Middle East. Similarly, Raed Jarrar of the DAWN organization decried Trump's comments as a threat to international order and called for accountability from both U.S. and Israeli leaders. Tariq Habash, a former Biden administration official, termed the proposal an endorsement of ethnic cleansing and a direct violation of international law.

Rights groups, including the Center for International Policy, condemned Trump’s rhetoric as a call for crimes against humanity, recalling historical examples of forced population displacement. U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, urged colleagues to oppose such proposals, asserting that Palestinians are not going anywhere.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other groups also rejected Trump’s comments, emphasizing that Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and that any attempt to forcibly displace them would perpetuate an international atrocity. The Arab American Institute highlighted the global ramifications of such a stance, which it argued undermines decades of American support for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.