Projects · Foreign Policy
The Gaza Takeover Proposal
February 4, 2025: Trump said the U.S. would "take over" and "own" Gaza, relocating 2.3 million Palestinians to build "the Riviera of the Middle East." The UN called it ethnic cleansing. Every Arab ally rejected it.
Key Facts
Announced
Feb 4, 2025
White House press conference
Gaza's Population
2.3M
To be "relocated"
UN Assessment
Ethnic cleansing
Secretary-General Guterres
Arab allies who accepted
0
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE all rejected
International law
Violates
Geneva Conventions, UN Charter
Trump's prior 2019 plan
Two-state
Plan included Palestinian state in Gaza
The Announcement
On February 4, 2025, at a White House joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump made an extraordinary announcement: the United States would "take over" and "own" the Gaza Strip. He proposed clearing the rubble, developing the land, and relocating Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinian inhabitants elsewhere — permanently or temporarily depending on which administration official was speaking — to create what he called "the Riviera of the Middle East."
"The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We'll own it."
— President Trump, February 4, 2025
The proposal upended 60 years of bipartisan U.S. policy supporting a two-state solution. Ironically, it also contradicted Trump's own 2019 peace plan, which had outlined Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state and explicitly stated Palestinians would not be uprooted.
The idea bears a striking resemblance to a scheme proposed by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner the previous year, in which Kushner suggested moving Palestinians out of Gaza to "clean it up" and develop the territory's "very valuable" Mediterranean waterfront. Netanyahu praised Trump for "thinking outside the box with new ideas."
Trump shared an AI-generated promotional video on Truth Social at the end of February: the footage showed a colossal golden statue of Trump, "glinting against a simulated sun," before panning across a futuristic skyline of glass high-rise hotels with the narration: "Donald Trump will set you free. Golden future. A brand-new life."
The Shifting Story
February 4, 2025
Trump: U.S. will "take over" and "own" Gaza permanently
Trump announces the plan at the White House alongside Netanyahu. He says he will take a "long-term ownership position" over the enclave. He says Egypt and Jordan should absorb the displaced population. He says "everybody loves the idea." Immediate international shock.
February 5, 2025
Rubio and Leavitt walk it back: "just temporary"
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempt to reframe Trump's statement as describing a temporary relocation for reconstruction purposes. "In the interim, obviously people are going to have to live somewhere while you're rebuilding it," Rubio says. Netanyahu publicly says he supports Palestinians returning.
February 9–11, 2025
Trump reinstates the permanent displacement framing
Trump says the U.S. might "buy Gaza." Then says Palestinians "would not be allowed to return." Then says the U.S. would just "have" and "keep" Gaza without buying anything. The Hill reports Trump is sending "mixed messages." The UN warns the plan amounts to ethnic cleansing. Most international observers note the proposal was more coherent as a real estate vision than a geopolitical policy.
International & Legal Response
United Nations
"Tantamount to Ethnic Cleansing"
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said "any forced displacement of people would be tantamount to ethnic cleansing" and that "the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people is about the right of Palestinians to simply live as human beings in their own land." The Geneva Conventions explicitly forbid mass forcible transfers from occupied territories, which can amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Arab World
Universal Rejection
Saudi Arabia reiterated its "firm rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people." Egypt, Jordan, UAE, and Turkey all rejected the plan. Egyptian President al-Sisi cancelled a planned visit to Washington. Egypt and Jordan stated the plan would destabilise their countries: Jordan fears a massive Palestinian influx would topple the Hashemite monarchy; Egypt fears it would create a base for Hamas attacks on Egypt from its territory. Saudi Arabia said normalisation with Israel — a Trump priority — hinges on progress toward Palestinian statehood.
European & Western Allies
Widespread Condemnation
France called it "a grave breach of international law." Germany's Annalena Baerbock: "unacceptable and contrary to international law" that would "create new suffering and new hatred." UK, Spain, Russia, and China all condemned the proposal. Fawaz Gerges, professor at the London School of Economics: "This is the most foolish idea any American president has put forth in the modern history of the United States."
U.S. Congressional Reaction
Bipartisan Concern
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): "Trump's proposal to push 2 million Palestinians out of Gaza and take 'ownership' by force if necessary is simply ethnic cleansing by another name." Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): "I have news for you — we aren't taking over Gaza." Even Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham called it "problematic at many many levels." Rep. Rashida Tlaib: Trump was "openly calling for ethnic cleansing while sitting next to a genocidal war criminal."
The International Law Position
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Fourth Geneva Convention all recognise the right of Palestinians to return to their land. Displacing 2.3 million people from occupied territory would violate multiple bodies of international law. The International Bar Association noted: "It is manifestly illegal to invade and annex foreign territory by force, to forcibly deport its population, and to deprive the Palestinian people of their inalienable right to self-determination." (IBA, March 2026)
Sources & References
Wikipedia — 2025 Donald Trump Gaza Strip Takeover Proposal
Documents the full sequence of Trump's contradictory statements, the plan's financial elements ($5,000/person relocation incentive), and regional reactions.
Al Jazeera — Announcement Coverage
February 4–7, 2025. Real-time documentation of the press conference, Hamas reaction, Arab state rejections, and Rubio walk-back.
NBC News — "Most Foolish Idea"
February 5, 2025. International condemnation coverage including LSE professor assessment and allied diplomatic reactions.
Center for American Progress — Analysis
Analyzes why Egypt and Jordan cannot absorb a mass Palestinian influx and why the Arab states' position is structurally fixed regardless of U.S. pressure.
IBA (International Bar Association)
March 2026. Legal analysis confirming the plan "utterly contrary to international law" under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.
CNN — Analysis
February 5, 2025. Describes the proposal as "quintessential Trump" and explains why Egypt and Jordan are structurally unable to participate.