Erdogan rejects Trump's Gaza takeover proposal as 'futile'
2 Min Read
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Erdogan made it clear that Turkiye firmly opposes any plan to forcibly remove the Palestinian population from their homeland.
-
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaks during a joint press conference with Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, following their meeting at the presidential palace in Ankara, Turkiye, Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly denounced US President Donald Trump's proposal for Washington to take control of Gaza, calling the idea meaningless and politically motivated. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Erdogan made it clear that Turkiye firmly opposes any plan to forcibly remove the Palestinian population from their homeland.
"From our perspective, there is nothing worth talking about the proposals brought up by the new US administration regarding Gaza under the pressure of the Zionist lobby," he stated.
"This plan is completely futile… No one has the power to remove the people of Gaza from their homeland. The people of Gaza will continue to stay in Gaza, live in Gaza, and protect Gaza," he added.
His remarks come amid growing regional rejection of foreign-imposed solutions, which serve only to strengthen Israeli occupation while attempting to forcibly expel Palestinians from their rightful land.
Arab, Islamic nations unite
Trump's proposal, which includes a US-led seizure of Gaza and the relocation of its Palestinian residents to Egypt or Jordan, has sparked fierce condemnation throughout the Arab and Islamic world. Many view the plan as a continuation of colonial tactics aimed at erasing Palestinian identity and legitimizing Israeli occupation.
In a separate statement, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry strongly rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent comments advocating Palestinian displacement, calling them an attempt to distract from "Israel's" war crimes in Gaza, including ethnic cleansing.
Saudi officials asserted that Palestinians are the rightful owners of their land, not "intruders" or "immigrants" who can be expelled at the will of the Israeli occupation. The statement also denounced Israeli aggression as part of a broader effort to deny Palestinians their basic rights, dignity, and historical connection to the land.
Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed that no diplomatic normalization with "Israel" will take place without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with al-Quds as its capital.
Egypt is set to host an emergency Arab summit on February 27 to discuss the broader threat of Palestinian displacement.
Read more: Netanyahu moves to sabotage ceasefire talks: Israeli media
