Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strongly opposed former US President Donald Trump’s proposal for the redevelopment of Gaza, calling instead for Israel to take responsibility for rebuilding the war-torn region.
Gaza has been left in ruins following a year of intense conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. Last week, Trump suggested relocating Palestinians from the enclave to Egypt, Jordan and other neighbouring countries, a proposal that was welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Washington.
Speaking at a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday, Erdoğan dismissed Trump’s plan as unacceptable.
“From our perspective, the proposals aiming to displace the Palestinians from the land they have lived on for thousands of years are not to be taken seriously,” he said.
“No one has the power to inflict a second Nakba on the Palestinian people, nor will they ever have.”
The term “Nakba,” meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement of more than 700,000 Palestinians in 1948 following the establishment of Israel.
Erdoğan further asserted that Netanyahu, who endorsed Trump’s plan, should be held accountable for the destruction of Gaza. He called for Israel to be charged with rebuilding the enclave rather than displacing its inhabitants.
Several Arab nations have also rejected the proposal, maintaining that Palestinians should not be forced to leave their homeland.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned that the forced expulsion of Palestinians would amount to “ethnic cleansing,” a move that would likely escalate tensions in the already volatile region.
