Madrid, Feb 19 (EFE).- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday condemned United States President Donald Trump’s proposal to expel Gaza’s population, calling it “immoral” and a violation of international law.
“Gaza belongs to the Palestinians,” he said.
Speaking at the Moncloa Palace alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Sánchez firmly rejected the idea of relocating Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip.
He underscored the significance of Sisi’s visit to Spain amid the ongoing Middle East crisis and reiterated Spain’s opposition to any forced displacement.
“Gaza…is part of the future Palestinian state,” Sánchez said. While he did not mention Trump by name, he warned that expelling Gaza’s population would further destabilize the region.
Sánchez reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to a political resolution based on a two-state solution for the Palestinian-Israel crisis.
He expressed Spain’s for the Arab League summit’s proposal on Gaza’s reconstruction, set to take place in Cairo on March 4.
Urging Israel and Hamas to consolidate the ceasefire, Sánchez praised Egypt’s role in overseeing its implementation and facilitating negotiations.
He also called for the full release of hostages and a substantial increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Spain remains committed to regional stability, Sánchez said, noting that it is the largest contributor of personnel to the European mission at the Rafah border crossing, ing the Palestinian Authority’s return to governance in Gaza.
He also emphasized the need for concrete global steps toward a two-state solution, including preparations for the Peace Conference scheduled for June in New York, stressing that Euro-Arab dialogue is crucial.
For his part, President Sisi thanked Spain for its stance on Gaza and its recognition of Palestine as a state.
He agreed with Sánchez that Gaza’s population must not be forcibly displaced and called for continued hostage exchanges, the implementation of international resolutions to protect Gazans, and increased for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Earlier this month, Trump surprised the world, saying the US will “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip in the long term and rebuild it, turning it into the new “Riviera of the Middle East,” after permanently expelling Palestinians to other countries.
“I don’t want to be cute. I don’t want to be a wise guy, but, the Riviera of the Middle East. This could be so magnificent,” Trump said at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Feb.4.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site. Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings. Level it out,” he said.
Since returning to power on Jan. 20, Trump has reiterated this proposal on several occasions and insisted that Jordan and Egypt should accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza, an idea flatly rejected by those two countries, as well as by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League.
Speaking to reporters at the start of his Oval Office meeting with Netanyahu, Trump suggested that Gazans should leave the strip permanently, trying to frame it as a humanitarian effort, saying it was impossible to believe that anyone would want to remain in a war-ravaged territory, which he called a “demolition site.” EFE
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