By Gao Wencheng

Recently, US President Donald Trump declared that the US hopes to take over and retain long-term control of the Gaza Strip, even proposing to relocate the local Palestinians to other countries. The so-called resettlement plan met strong condemnation as soon as it was proposed. The international community widely believes that this move blatantly violates international law, highlights the US disregard for the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, and will seriously undermine regional peace and stability.

US officials claimed that it was a humanitarian approach, arguing that Gaza is now a demolition site. Such a statement lacks even the most basic compassion for the Palestinians suffering in hardship. In 1948, following the establishment of Israel and the outbreak of the First Arab-Israeli War, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to leave their homeland. This historical event, known as the "Nakba" or catastrophe, by Palestinians, has left a deep collective memory, making them highly wary of and resistant to leaving their homeland. In response to the absurd proposal from the US, Rashid Mansour, an elderly resident of Gaza, said, "This is our land. We lived our whole lives, our fathers and grandfathers. We are staying here and dying here. We reject all these calls for us to leave and become displaced."

Since the outbreak of the latest round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a large number of civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip has been destroyed and residents have been displaced. Even so, after the ceasefire, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still chose to return to their homeland and rebuild their lives amid the ruins. Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine to the United Nations, said that the motherland means motherland and the choice of the Palestinians is to return to their motherland. Qatar-based Al Jazeera reported that the United States, as Israel's largest supporter, provided substantial military aid to Israel following the escalation of the conflict. It is ridiculous that the US, the greatest accomplice in the destruction of Palestine's homeland, attempts to play the role of the resettler.

Some media have pointed out that the proposal to take over Gaza is driven by the need to satisfy domestic political urge within the US, with the intention of using empty promises as bait to lure the Palestinians into making compromises on territorial issues. According to William F. Wechsler, senior director of Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council, the US leader is using extreme positions as bargaining chips. Such hegemonic strategy violates international morality and it is foreseeable that it will face collective resistance.

The remarks made by US leaders quickly sparked widespread condemnation from the international community, especially from Arab countries. Arab countries such as Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE issued statements condemning any attempts or justifications for forcibly removing or encouraging the relocation of Palestinians from their homeland. Several European countries have also clearly opposed the US statements. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock issued a statement saying that the expulsion of Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip would lead to new suffering and hatred.

Within the US, the idea of clearing Gaza has also been criticized. Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen called it ethnic cleansing by another name. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement saying that this would spark widespread conflict, put the final nail in the coffin of international law, and permanently tarnish the remaining international images of the US. The New York Times pointed out that this move "reopened a geopolitical Pandora's box".

Gaza has already suffered greatly from the ravages of war. What it needs now is for countries to provide humanitarian aid and support for post-conflict reconstruction, not to make matters worse. The international community agrees that the principle of "the Palestinians governing Palestine" should be followed for post-conflict governance in Gaza and the implementation of the "two-state solution" is the fundamental way to resolve the Palestinian issue.

Gaza is home to over 2 million Palestinians and an inseparable part of Palestinian territory. It cannot be subjected to the law of the jungle, nor can it be reduced to a bargaining chip in political deals.

Editor's Note: Originally published on news.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.