Egypt, Jordan condemn Israeli plans of mass Palestinian displacement

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
25 Mar 2025 07:00

Egypt and Jordan condemn Israeli plans to displace Palestinians and expand settlements, warning of violations of international law.

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Displaced Palestinians, who flee from Rafah amidst the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, arrive in the destroyed city of Khan Younis, Palestine, on March 23, 2025. (AP)

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Israeli authorities' decision to establish an agency aimed at displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and approving the recognition of 13 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.

In a statement, the ministry rejected what it called the false premise of "voluntary departure," stressing that any movement of Palestinians under the current conditions of war constitutes forced displacement.

"Departures taking place under relentless bombardment, war, and policies that block humanitarian aid while using starvation as a weapon amount to forced displacement— a war crime and a violation of international law and international humanitarian law," the statement read.

Cairo urged the international community and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take decisive action against "Israel’s continued violations and provocations" and to enforce international resolutions ensuring Palestinian rights, particularly their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East al-Quds as its capital.

Jordan rejects systematic displacement of Palestinians

Meanwhile, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reaffirmed Amman’s firm rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians, stating that Jordan's position "remains unchanged and will not waver."

Speaking before the Jordanian Parliament on Monday, Safadi said "Israel" is systematically pushing Palestinians out of their homeland.

"What is happening on the ground is a calculated Israeli effort to force Palestinians from their land," he said.

Trump emboldens Israeli extremism

The latest Israeli moves have sparked renewed regional condemnation, with Arab states warning of the dire consequences of forced displacement and continued settlement expansion in the occupied territories.

Egypt and Jordan, which border Gaza and the West Bank respectively, have been widely seen as the primary destinations for the mass expulsion of Palestinians, raising concerns over potential long-term resettlement. Such Israeli plots have gained traction following United States President Donald Trump's announcement of his Gaza "takeover" plan, where he supported the expulsion of Palestinians and the US's supposed ownership of the territory, in early February.

Trump later backed away from his initial announcement, however, placed hurdles in the face of Arab plans to rebuild Gaza, and fully backed "Israel's" violation of the ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian Resistance and the resumption of the war on Gaza.