Trump and Netanyahu’s Gaza Plans Spark Widespread Backlash
After former U.S. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, debates over the future of Gaza and its Palestinian population have grown increasingly heated. The discussions have drawn sharp criticism from several international leaders and human rights groups, who argue that the proposals risk deepening the region’s instability and humanitarian crisis.
In an interview with Fox News, Donald Trump stated that under his proposed Gaza reconstruction plan, Palestinians would not be permitted to return to the territory. He suggested relocating nearly two million residents to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan, claiming they would have “much better homes … in safer communities away from all the danger.”
However, legal scholars have condemned the idea, noting that the forcible transfer of populations violates international law, while the United Nations warned that implementing such measures could amount to ethnic cleansing.
Netanyahu also presented a controversial idea, suggesting in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 that "the Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia, they have a lot of land over there."
Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia have all firmly rejected these proposals, making it clear they will not accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza.
Saudi Arabia’s Strong Rejection of Gaza Displacement Threatens Israel Normalization Efforts
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has taken a resolute stand against recent proposals by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to forcibly relocate Palestinians from Gaza. According to Middle East analyst Sebastian Sons, MBS’s firm rejection of these plans reflects a growing confidence in asserting Saudi Arabia’s independent position on the issue.
While both Washington and Jerusalem are focused on advancing the normalization of ties with Riyadh, Sons told DW that Saudi Arabia currently views such a move as “impossible.” He explained that MBS is reluctant to jeopardize his credibility by aligning with leaders he considers unreliable in achieving a two-state solution.
Echoing this sentiment, Anna Jacobs, a Gulf researcher at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, noted that Trump’s controversial Gaza proposal has further undermined prospects for normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. “The Saudis have made it abundantly clear that the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land is completely unacceptable,” Jacobs said.
Meanwhile, Aziz Alghashian, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation Middle East, observed that Riyadh’s foreign policy has evolved from being merely pragmatic to assertively independent. “The Saudis are now willing to stand their ground and even challenge the U.S., rather than compromise as they might have in the past,” Alghashian stated, emphasizing that MBS’s firm position enjoys broad public backing both within Saudi Arabia and across the Arab world.
However, Sons noted that despite current tensions, MBS and Trump may still find common ground due to
shared strategic interests. Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 plan for economic diversification depends heavily on U.S. investment and strategic cooperation, ensuring that maintaining strong ties with Washington remains a top priority. At the same time, Riyadh continues to play a pivotal role in shaping U.S. policy in the Middle East.
According to Sebastian Sons, former U.S. President Donald Trump may be employing a strategy of making “maximum demands” to extract concessions from Saudi Arabia. However, it is still unclear whether any future deal or diplomatic arrangement would meaningfully address the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.
The situation in the region has become increasingly volatile following Hamas’s decision to end the ceasefire, heightening concerns that another wave of conflict could soon erupt.
Trump’s Gaza Proposal Risks Derailing Saudi-Israel Normalization and Fuels Rising Anti-U.S. Sentiment
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to assume control of Gaza and displace more than two million Palestinians is threatening to derail efforts toward Saudi-Israel normalization and stoking anti-American sentiment within Saudi Arabia, analysts caution.
The contentious proposal — which envisions redeveloping Gaza while relocating its Palestinian population to neighboring Arab nations — has triggered widespread international condemnation and fierce opposition across the Middle East. Experts argue that such a plan undermines Washington’s broader diplomatic ambitions in the region.
“If this is truly his policy, he’s effectively closed the door on Saudi recognition of Israel,” warned James Dorsey, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore, in an interview with AFP.
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s two holiest cities, has long been considered a cornerstone of regional diplomacy, with its potential recognition of Israel seen as a key step toward long-term Middle Eastern stability. However, Trump’s Gaza blueprint poses fresh challenges. Analysts note that Riyadh risks regional upheaval if neighboring Jordan and Egypt are compelled to absorb large numbers of displaced Palestinians.
As the Middle East’s largest economy and the world’s top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia must tread carefully amid growing public anger and shifting geopolitical pressures. With Trump’s proposal drawing criticism from both allies and adversaries, the path toward Saudi-Israel normalization now appears increasingly uncertain.
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