CITIZENS NEWS

Palestinians reject Trump’s Gaza 'Riviera' plan, vow to stay on their land

By isabelle // 2025-02-09

• President Trump proposes expelling Palestinians from Gaza and transforming it into a tourist destination, drawing fierce criticism.
• Palestinians see the plan as a threat to their existence and a continuation of the Nakba, vowing resistance.
• The proposal faces international backlash, including from some U.S. lawmakers and Arab nations, emphasizing the need for a Palestinian state.
• Many Palestinians, despite suffering, are steadfast in their commitment to Gaza, seeing it as their sacred homeland.
• Trump’s plan is condemned as a moral failure, with Palestinians determined to rebuild and reclaim their land.

U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a controversial plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza, relocate American troops to the region, and transform the war-torn enclave into a tourist destination he dubbed the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The remarks, made during a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, have drawn fierce condemnation from Palestinians, human rights advocates, and even some U.S. lawmakers. For Palestinians, Trump’s proposal is not just a political statement but a direct threat to their existence. Many see it as a continuation of the Nakba, the 1948 mass displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel. “A first-class war criminal [like] Netanyahu standing in the White House, invited… and dealt with respectfully as though there is no [International Criminal Court] warrant against him, and praised as a hero and supported politically, financially, legally, and they decide publicly in a press conference in front of the whole world… to complete the genocide mission? To make a new Nakba?” said Raji Sourani, a prominent Palestinian human rights lawyer who fled Gaza after his home was destroyed. His sentiment was echoed by Palestinians still living in Gaza, where over 90% of the population has been displaced by 15 months of Israeli bombardment. Imad al-Qassas, a 60-year-old father of six now living in a tent in Deir el-Balah, told Al Jazeera, “No matter how much destruction, devastation, and killing we’ve endured, this will never happen. Where would we even go?” For many, the idea of leaving Gaza is not just impractical but deeply personal. “No matter what calamities befall us in Gaza, this is our homeland, and we hold it sacred,” al-Qassas said.

A psychological and moral war

Trump’s proposal has been met with a mix of defiance and despair. Khalil Sayegh, a Palestinian political analyst based in Washington, described the plan as “dehumanizing.” “You know, there is a lot of mythologisation of the Palestinians, that we are superhumans who, despite any pain, wouldn't leave. That's not true, and that's dehumanising to an extent,” he said. “When we are pushed and we have to choose between staying or our kids will die, I think many of us would choose rightfully to leave.” Others, like 23-year-old Mahmoud Abu Ouda, see no future in Gaza. “If they open the Rafah crossing [with Egypt], a huge number of people will leave immediately. I’ll be the first to go,” he told Al Jazeera. “This is not a life. There is no life here.” Yet, even those who want to leave reject the idea of being forced out. “We are always forced,” Abu Ouda said. “We were forced to flee from the north to the south. We endured the war against our will.”

International backlash and political fallout

The backlash to Trump’s proposal has been swift and widespread. Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, called the plan “fanatical bullshit” and accused Trump of promoting “genocide and ethnic cleansing.” Even some Republicans have distanced themselves from the idea. Senator Rand Paul, a libertarian-leaning Republican, wrote on X, “I thought we voted for America First. We have no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers’ blood.” Arab nations have also rejected the plan. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt have all insisted on a Palestinian state as a precondition for any normalization of relations with Israel. Despite the devastation, Palestinians remain steadfast in their commitment to Gaza. “We have no other home,” Sourani said. “Palestine is our homeland.” For many, Trump’s proposal is not just a political misstep but a moral failure. As Jamalat Wadi, a displaced Gazan living in a tent camp, told the BBC, “Even if it costs us our souls, we will not leave Gaza. We are against Trump’s decision. He ended the war, but displacing us would end our lives.” In the face of unimaginable hardship, Palestinians are determined to rebuild and reclaim their land. Trump’s vision of a Middle Eastern Riviera may be bold, but for the people of Gaza, it is nothing more than a cruel fantasy. Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net AlJazeera.com BBC.com

Donald Trump Israel politics Trump Palestine humanitarian homeland ethnic cleansing relocation Gaza Riviera plan