Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently suggested that the United States should “take over” Gaza, remove its population, and transform it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” This proposal, which follows his previous comments about wanting to “clean out” Gaza, has alarmed many experts.
Critics argue that such rhetoric aligns with calls for the “ethnic cleansing” of the Palestinian population in Gaza. Trump’s remarks have also emboldened Israeli far-right groups who seek to establish Jewish settlements on Gaza’s coastline, further fueling tensions in the region.
Trump’s comments were met with strong opposition from Palestinian leaders. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s commitment to their homeland, rejecting any attempts to force their removal. Historically, Palestinians have resisted displacement for decades, remaining steadfast despite ongoing conflict and political maneuvering. The determination to stay in Gaza has long been a defining characteristic of Palestinian identity and resistance.
Historical Displacement of Palestinians
Gaza’s Palestinian population primarily consists of refugees who were displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, when over 700,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes. The United Nations attempted to address their plight through Resolution 194, which called for their right to return.
However, Israel resisted large-scale repatriation, citing security concerns. Instead, efforts were made to resettle Palestinians in neighboring Arab countries, but these initiatives largely failed, as Palestinians refused to relinquish their claims to their homeland.
Over the decades, multiple attempts have been made to relocate Palestinians away from Gaza. Following Israel’s occupation of the region in 1967, there were secret plans to move tens of thousands of Palestinians to Paraguay, which ultimately failed. Similarly, Israeli far-right settlers began establishing Jewish communities in Gaza, aiming to push out Palestinians.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Israel proposed various resettlement plans, but Palestinians consistently rejected them, viewing these efforts as a means of erasing their identity and connection to the land.
The Decline of the Two-State Solution
The Oslo Accords of the 1990s had once placed hopes on a two-state solution, with Gaza remaining a Palestinian territory. However, as hopes for this solution have faded, discussions of resettlement have resurfaced. The Biden administration, following the 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli military response, explored funding the relocation of Gazans to neighboring countries.
This move sparked outrage among Palestinians, who viewed it as tacit approval of forced displacement. Calls for removing Palestinians from Gaza have also intensified among Israeli far-right groups, including government officials advocating for their “emigration.”
Despite repeated efforts to displace them, Palestinians have continued to resist resettlement. Following a ceasefire in early 2025, thousands of displaced Palestinians returned to their homes, despite the destruction. Many reject the idea of leaving Gaza, regardless of the economic incentives proposed by foreign powers.
The reconstruction of Gaza is estimated to cost $50 billion and take at least a decade, yet Palestinians remain committed to rebuilding their lives there. As one Palestinian put it, “No amount of money in the world can replace your homeland.” History has shown that forced displacement has consistently failed, and there is no reason to believe this time will be any different.