UN chief warns against ‘ethnic cleansing’ after Trump Gaza proposal
UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned against “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza following former US President Donald Trump’s proposal that the United States should take control of the Palestinian territory and displace its people.Guterres emphasized the importance of upholding the rights of Palestinians to live as human beings in their own land. He also noted a “chilling, systematic dehumanization and demonization of an entire people”.
Rejection of Displacement: UN officials, including Guterres, strongly denounced the idea of forcibly relocating people from Gaza, emphasizing that such actions are forbidden under international law and could be seen as ethnic cleansing.
Two-State Solution: Guterres reiterated the call for a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine can coexist peacefully. He stressed the need for tangible progress towards this solution, ending the occupation, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Gaza as an integral part.
Palestinian Resolve: Palestinian representatives, such as Riyad Mansour, have firmly rejected Trump’s plan, asserting that Gaza is an integral part of Palestine, and they will not leave their homeland.
International Law: UN officials and human rights experts emphasized that any forced transfer or deportation of individuals from occupied territories is strictly prohibited under international law. They also noted that Israel, as an occupying power, cannot permanently displace Palestinians from Gaza.
Responses to the proposal: Following international backlash, officials from the Trump administration have attempted to clarify the proposal, suggesting that any displacement of Gaza’s residents would be temporary while the area is rebuilt.
Following President Donald Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to take control of Gaza, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned against “ethnic cleansing” in the region. Trump’s plan involves the resettlement of Palestinians and the U.S. taking over the territory.
Antonio Guterres’s warning Guterres cautioned against any actions that would worsen the situation and emphasized the importance of adhering to international law and avoiding ethnic cleansing. He reaffirmed the need for a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state including Gaza.
Stephane Dujarric’s statement The UN spokesperson indicated that Guterres’s remarks were a response to Trump’s proposal and that any forced displacement would be equal to ethnic cleansing.
Volker Turk’s condemnation The UN human rights chief stated that any involuntary transfer or deportation of individuals from occupied territories is absolutely prohibited.
Francesca Albanese’s denouncement The UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories called Trump’s proposal unlawful, immoral, and utterly reckless, saying it incites forced displacement, which constitutes an international crime.
Riyad Mansour’s assertion The Palestinian envoy to the UN stated that there is no power on earth that can remove the Palestinian people from their ancestral homeland.
Two-state solution The UN has long endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognized borders. Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, territories occupied by Israel since 1967.
Global condemnation Trump’s proposal has been met with astonishment and rejection by Palestinian leaders and citizens, as well as by several Middle Eastern nations and governments from Spain, France, Russia, China, and Ireland, among others.
