Democrats and Arab-American leaders denounced President Trump’s shocking plan to oust Palestinians from Gaza and “take over” the coastal enclave under U.S. control.
Progressives called the plan to force 2 million Palestinians out of their devastated homeland inhumane and illegal, while moderates said Trump was opening the door to an open-ended American military venture in one of the most dangerous places on earth.
“This president is openly calling for ethnic cleansing,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan), the only lawmaker of Palestinian descent.
She blamed supporters of Israel in both major parties for opening the door to Trump’s out-of-the-box proposal, which appears to brazenly violate the most basic tenets of international law.
“This president can only spew this fanatical bulls‑‑t because of bipartisan support in Congress for funding genocide and ethnic cleansing,” Tlaib said.
Trump surprised supporters and critics alike by abruptly floating the idea that the U.S. could take over Gaza during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He suggested that the 2 million Palestinians who live in Gaza could be convinced or forced to move to an as-yet-undetermined location to clear the way for a U.S.-brokered redevelopment of the coastal strip. Most Gaza Palestinians are descended from those forced to flee their homes in other parts of Israel during the Jewish state’s 1948 independence war.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) slammed Trump’s proposal as “deranged” and “nuts.” Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware admitted Trump’s proposal had left him “speechless.”
Even Republicans poured cold water on the idea, reminding his supporters that it would require the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops to enforce, at a time when the GOP has mostly called for America to end its “forever wars.”
“(It would) be problematic at many, many levels,” said.Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), normally a supporter of Trump.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) said flatly that ousting Palestinians to create a new Trumpian “Riviera” on the Mediterranean was “obviously not going to happen.”
“I don’t know (how) it would make sense even, even for Israel,” Tillis said.
A group of pro-Trump Arab voters also denounced the plan.
“Arab-Americans for Trump firmly rejects President Donald J Trump’s suggestion to remove — voluntarily or forcibly — Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt and Jordan,” said Dr Bishara Bahbah, the national chair of the group that helped Trump register a remarkable performance with traditionally Democratic-leaning Arab voters.
While many lawmakers cited ethical or moral concerns, others focused on the practical implications of Trump’s proposal, which would ostensibly force the American military to occupy one of the world’s ugliest flashpoints.
“A U.S. invasion of Gaza would lead to the slaughter of thousands of U.S. troops and decades of war in the Middle East,” Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Dem tweeted. “It’s like a bad, sick joke.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) labeled Trump a “warmonger,” who doesn’t respect other people’s right to self-determination.
“Trump wants to invade Panama, Greenland and now Gaza,” Gallego said.
Amid the criticism, there were a couple of voices of support among MAGA Republicans for the president’s daring proposal.
“Let’s turn Gaza into Mar-A-Lago,” Rep. Nancy Mace tweeted.