Iran, Saudi Arabia rejects proposal on displacing Palestinians
TEHRAN/RIYADH
Iran and Saudi Arabia have condemned proposal to resettle Palestinians, with both nations warning that the plan threatens regional stability and undermines the Palestinian right to self-determination.
The controversy stems from Trump’s suggestion, unveiled during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Tuesday, that the U.S. could “take over” Gaza and relocate its inhabitants as part of a redevelopment plan to transform the war-torn enclave into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Trump proposed that Gazans could be resettled in neighboring countries such as Egypt or Jordan—a move both nations have firmly rejected.
Iran sharply criticized the proposal, calling it a “colonial scheme” aimed at erasing Palestinian identity. In a phone call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza “poses a serious threat to the stability and security of the region.” He urged Islamic countries to take a “firm and unified stance” against the plan.
Araghchi’s remarks followed a meeting in Tehran between Hamas officials and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—the first such talks since a fragile truce halted 15 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas in January. Iran has long championed the Palestinian cause as a cornerstone of its foreign policy and does not recognize Israel’s right to exist.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia issued a strongly worded statement on Sunday condemning Netanyahu’s recent suggestion that Palestinians should establish their state in Saudi Arabia rather than in their homeland. The Saudi Foreign Ministry rejected the idea as “extremist” and reaffirmed its “categorical rejection” of any attempts to displace Palestinians.
“The Palestinian people have a right to their land, and they are not intruders or immigrants to it who can be expelled whenever the brutal Israeli occupation wishes,” the statement read. It added that Israel’s “occupying mentality” fails to recognize the deep connection Palestinians have to their land and accused Netanyahu’s government of systematically denying Palestinians their rights for over 75 years.
Saudi Arabia reiterated its commitment to a two-state solution, emphasizing that “lasting peace will not be achieved except by returning to the logic of reason and accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence.” The kingdom also asserted that the Palestinian people’s right to their land is “firmly established” and cannot be taken away, “no matter how long it takes.”
'Israeli government continues its provocative policies': Jordan
Jordan condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements about establishing a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia, deeming them "incendiary calls" and a “violation of international law.”
“The Israeli government continues its provocative policies and statements that undermine the sovereignty of nations and the principles of international law,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Sufian al-Qudah said in a statement.
He stressed Jordan's “absolute rejection of these provocative statements, which reflect an exclusionary and inciting ideology hostile to peace and contribute to further escalation in the region.”
The spokesman reaffirmed Jordan's “full solidarity with Saudi Arabia” and called on the international community to “condemn and denounce these irresponsible remarks.”
“The Israeli government will not succeed in covering up the truth that the continuation of occupation and the violation of Palestinian rights is the root cause of the conflict in the region,” he added.
Qudah called for an immediate halt to all Israeli escalation measures in the occupied West Bank, including the ongoing incursions, settlement expansion, and confiscation of Palestinian lands.
“The Palestinian people remain committed to their land and their right to establish an independent and sovereign state based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said, stressing that “peace, security, and stability cannot be achieved without this.”
Trump’s proposal has sparked widespread backlash beyond the Middle East, with countries including Canada, France, Germany, and the U.K. condemning the idea as a violation of international law and Palestinian rights. Palestinian leaders have also rejected the plan, calling it an affront to their struggle for sovereignty and statehood.
