NBC: Trump administration toys with idea of relocating Palestinians to another continent during post-war reconstruction

The Trump transition team is reportedly exploring the possibility of temporarily relocating some of Gaza's two million residents outside the enclave to facilitate post-war reconstruction efforts, with the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia, being considered as a destination. 

This idea was disclosed in a report by NBC, citing an anonymous Trump transition official. While the seriousness of this proposal within the incoming administration remains unclear, experts have rushed to dismiss the plan as "completely unrealistic," according to Israeli media.

As noted by Caliber.Az, previous efforts to temporarily relocate Palestinians during conflicts have failed. Arab nations have consistently declined to accept Palestinian migrants. A notable example occurred in October 2023, when Israel suggested relocating Gaza's 2.3 million residents to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula to reduce civilian casualties during its operations against Hamas. This proposal was met with strong condemnation from Palestinians and escalated tensions with Cairo, which opposed involvement in another refugee crisis. Additionally, many Palestinians feared they would not be allowed to return to Gaza, a concern reiterated by Israeli media.

By Nazrin Sadigova