Syria’s Sharaa calls Trump Gaza plan ‘serious crime’

Dubai — Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, said he believes US President Donald Trump’s plan to resettle Palestinians from Gaza and take over the Strip “is a serious crime that will ultimately fail”.

Trump had said the US would take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and develop it economically after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere. He said Palestinians would not have the right of return to Gaza under his proposal.

In an interview with a UK podcast, Sharaa, an Islamist whose militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, was once an affiliate of al-Qaeda, said Trump’s proposal would not succeed.

“I believe no power can drive people from their land. Many countries have tried to do it and they have all failed, especially during the recent war in Gaza over the past year and a half,” he said.

Sharaa stressed it would be neither “wise nor morally or politically right” for Trump to lead an effort to force Palestinians out of their land.

“Over 80 years of this conflict, all attempts to displace them have failed; those who left have regretted their decision. The Palestinian lesson that every generation has learnt is the importance of holding on to their land,” he added.

Egypt, Jordan and other Arab nations have strongly opposed any attempt to push Palestinians over the border.

Like Palestinians, they fear any mass movement across the border would further undermine prospects for a “two-state solution” — the idea of creating a state of Palestine next to Israel — and leave Arab nations dealing with the consequences. 

Reuters