German Chancellor Calls Donald Trump’s ‘Gaza Takeover’ Plan A “Scandal”
During a pre-election debate, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Donald Trump’s idea for the U.S. to take control of Gaza a “scandal”. Trump’s plan involved moving the Gazan population and having the U.S. redevelop the area.
Scholz stated that relocating populations is unacceptable and against international law, highlighting the positions of Egypt and Jordan. He had previously voiced his disapproval at a campaign event, saying, “We must not resettle the population of Gaza to Egypt,” and expressed his “complete rejection” of the plan. During the debate, Scholz said his strategy for dealing with Trump involves “clear words and friendly conversations”.
Friedrich Merz, Scholz’s main challenger, shared similar concerns but suggested that there was “a lot of rhetoric” coming from the U.S. administration and that Germany should wait to see what plans the U.S. government intends to pursue seriously.
Scholz also affirmed that the European Union is prepared to “act within an hour” if necessary, regarding potential U.S. tariffs. Merz stressed the importance of European unity and called for “a common European strategy” to tackle challenges.
