Saudi Arabia reacts to Trump’s Gaza ‘take over’ plan

“Permanent” peace in the enclave can only be achieved through the establishment of a Palestinian state, the kingdom’s foreign ministry has said

Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land, the country’s foreign ministry stated on Wednesday, reiterating its “firm and unwavering” commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The comment followed US President Donald Trump’s proposal for an American takeover of Gaza. Speaking at a joint press conference with Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Trump announced plans for the US to assume control of the enclave, clear the remains of damaged buildings, and transform Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” He also reiterated his position that Palestinians should be permanently resettled outside of Gaza.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry released a statement that, while not directly addressing Trump’s remarks, appeared to be a response to his proposal.

The ministry said it was reaffirming its “unequivocal rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.”

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“Permanent peace” cannot be achieved without Palestinians securing their “legitimate rights” to statehood, it said, and urged more “peace-loving countries to recognize the State of Palestine” based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The ministry stressed that Riyadh would not establish ties with Israel unless this key condition is met, adding that its stance towards the Palestinians is “non-negotiable.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised President Donald Trump for thinking “outside the box” with his proposal for a US takeover of Gaza.

A key element of the proposal involves relocating Gaza’s roughly two million population to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan. Trump asserted that regional leaders supported his plan but did not provide specifics on how the relocation would be carried out.

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The idea has drawn widespread criticism in the Middle East and beyond with human rights organizations describing it as a form of ethnic cleansing.

The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, stated on Wednesday that rather than being relocated to other countries, Palestinians in Gaza should be allowed to reclaim their former homes in what is now Israel.

“For those who want to send” Gazans “to a happy ‘nice place,’” Mansour said, “let them go back, you know, to their original homes inside Israel. There are nice places there, and they will be happy to return to these places.”

Around 47,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 111,500 wounded during the 15 months of Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to the latest data from the enclave’s Health Ministry. UN data suggests that 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced by the fighting.

Israel launched its military operation in Gaza after a Hamas cross-border raid killed about 1,200 people and 250 others were taken hostage. A US-brokered ceasefire is in place with ongoing prisoner exchanges. Israeli authorities report 79 hostages remain in Gaza, 35 of whom are presumed dead.