Syrian president slams Trump's Gaza plan as "serious crime" doomed to fail

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa described US President Donald Trump’s plan to transfer Palestinians from Gaza and assume control of the Strip as a “serious crime” that is ultimately doomed to fail.

In an interview on February 10 with the UK podcast, al-Sharaa stated that such a proposal would not succeed, asserting that no force could expel people from their lands, Caliber.Az reports referring to international media.

Trump’s plan involves the US taking over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and developing it economically, with the stipulation that Palestinians would be resettled elsewhere and not allowed to return to Gaza.

In an interview with a British podcast, al-Sharaa expressed skepticism about the feasibility of Trump’s proposal. “I believe that no force can expel people from their lands. Many countries have tried to do this and they have all failed, especially during the recent war in Gaza over the past year and a half,” he said.

Al-Sharaa also emphasized that it would be “neither wise, morally nor politically wrong” for Trump to lead such an effort to force Palestinians from their land.

He pointed to the long history of the conflict, saying, “In 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 learned is the importance of holding on to one's land.”

His statement echoes the sentiments of Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab countries that have strongly opposed any attempts to forcibly move Palestinians. 

Like the Palestinians, these countries fear that such mass displacement would further undermine the prospects for a two-state solution — where a Palestinian state would coexist alongside Israel — and create additional challenges for the Arab world.

By Tamilla Hasanova