Trump’s proposal to remove Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank sparks outrage
LIKE MANY OF his recent illogical presidential orders or statements, President Trump is trying to drive out Palestinians from the occupied territories into other Arab nations. But the story has a twist, as it has emerged that Palestinian land in the West Bank is being sold illegally to American far-right Jews by Jerusalem-based companies, violating several laws.
The 47th American president, Donald Trump, in the first week of his second term, has issued various contentious executive orders and given his long-winded views on many international issues. One such issue is the rehabilitation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank after the recent ceasefire.
Trump said on Saturday (January 24) that “we just clean out that whole thing,” referring to Gaza and asking Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians from the region.
Trump’s proposal to “clean out” the Gaza Strip by moving more than a million Palestinians to neighbouring countries has drawn sharp criticism, with opponents condemning it as ethnic cleansing and warning of regional chaos.
Apparently, he told reporters aboard Air Force One, “You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.” The potential transfer, he said, “could be temporary” or “could be long-term.”
The proposal marks a sharp break from the Biden administration’s and earlier American administrations’ stance that Gaza should not be depopulated. This could signal a shift from the longstanding U.S. position that Gaza should be part of a future Palestinian state.
It would also align the Trump administration with Israel’s most radical far-right politicians, who advocate transferring Palestinians out of the territory to make way for Jewish settlements.
While there has been no response from the Israeli prime minister’s office, the idea was applauded by far-right Israeli politicians.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism party, said Trump has recognized that Gaza was “a breeding ground for terror” and that “there is no doubt that in the long run, encouraging migration is the only solution that will bring peace and security to the residents of Israel and alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s Arab residents.”
Jordan, Egypt, and PA’s Response
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah
Meanwhile, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders have rejected Trump’s suggestion to take in Palestinians. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah have strongly opposed any forced displacement of Palestinians, days after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Arab countries absorb Palestinians from the war-torn Gaza Strip.
“Regarding what is being said about the displacement of Palestinians, it can never be tolerated or allowed because of its impact on Egyptian national security,” el-Sisi told a press conference on Wednesday.
A statement issued by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, based in the West Bank, declared, “We will not allow the repetition of the catastrophes that befell our people in 1948 and 1967.”
The former date is known to Palestinians as the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” referring to the 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel before and during the War of Independence in 1948, after the UN-proposed division of Mandatory Palestine was rejected by Arabs in Palestine and Arab states, who then invaded Israel.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
The 1967 war, during which Israel captured East Jerusalem—including Muslim and Christian sites—the West Bank, Gaza, and the Golan Heights, saw several hundred thousand more Palestinians displaced. This is also referred to as Al Naksa, meaning “the setback.”
Abbas also rejected what he called “any policy that undermines the unity of the Palestinian land in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
Earlier, the UN’s top court, the International Court of Justice at The Hague, ruled in July 2024 that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is against international law.
Illegal Sale of Land in the West Bank to American Zionists
Meanwhile, reports indicate that real estate firms based in Israel are illegally selling land parcels and apartments in the West Bank, urging investors to buy a piece of the “Promised Land.” The majority of the buyers are far-right Orthodox Jews.
Displaced Palestinians on the road to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip. Photo courtesy: Omar Ashtawy/Zuma Press
These sales events have been organized in many U.S. cities, where invitees are handpicked based on their religious affiliation.
Journalist Marc Steiner, in his podcast Not In Our Name on the U.S.-based The Real News Network, invited Eleanor Goldfield, a creative activist and journalist, to discuss this new business.
According to Goldfield, potential buyers are carefully vetted. She said, “Some folks were saying when they tried to register for the event, they had to do a Zoom call with the organizer, who asked to see their bookcase to check for Jewish books. They also demanded to know where they daven (pray) and who their rabbi was. Finally, only far-right ultra-Orthodox Jews were invited to events in Baltimore, USA.”
Reportedly, these events have been held in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, and other U.S. states and cities.
Rich Segal, a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, told Al Jazeera’s Kevin Herten on his podcast The Take that he first became aware of these real estate events in Teaneck back in 2007. He only discovered them because he happened to read an advertisement in Jewish newspapers. When he investigated further, he found that the promoters were selling West Bank settlement homes directly to Jews in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Segal further said he thought the practice had to be illegal and certainly immoral, and he tried to stop it. That was the first time he organized a demonstration. He also made calls to local police and the FBI but found that absolutely nobody was interested in investigating the matter.
Recently, after October 7, 2024, tensions in Teaneck escalated when Segal attempted to organize demonstrations against these real estate fairs. He and a colleague were forcibly removed from an event when they disclosed their identities.
Segal, himself a Jew, confirmed that only ultra-right-wing Orthodox Jews were invited to these shows, corroborating Goldfield’s observations. He further stated that synagogues in Teaneck are hosting real estate fairs encouraging members to buy property in Israel and occupied West Bank settlements, referring to it as the “redemption of the land” or “coming back home.”
According to Goldfield, groups like Jewish Voice for Peace, CARE, and PAL – the Palestinian Association for Liberation have organized demonstrations against these events, but with little effect.
The Game Plan
Now, one just needs to connect these two seemingly separate but closely linked issues. Trump is pushing to remove Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, while at the same time, Israeli companies are violating at least 22 international, American, and Israeli laws by selling land in the West Bank to Orthodox and extremist Jewish settlers, according to Segal.
President Trump with Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu
Trump, widely known as a real estate developer, along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, owns numerous companies in Israel. Ultimately, they and their associates stand to benefit from this scheme.
However, what is encouraging is that actions against these illegal activities are being led by Jews themselves—particularly those who denounce Zionism, like Eleanor and Rich.
At the same time, it is concerning that this issue remains largely absent from major Western news outlets, with coverage limited to independent platforms like The Real News Network.
What is needed is broader media attention and calls for a proper investigation into these murky, illegal land deals. Moreover, the way Trump has floated this idea, coupled with the clandestine sale of land in the West Bank, suggests it could be part of the long-standing Israeli plan to create a “Greater Israel.” 
___________
Also Read: Trump’s Global Reordering: A Backward March
Asad Mirza
The author is a political commentator based in New Delhi. He was also associated with BBC Urdu Service and Khaleej Times of Dubai. He writes on Muslims, educational, international affairs, interfaith and current affairs.
Disclaimer : PunjabTodayNews.com and other platforms of the Punjab Today group strive to include views and opinions from across the entire spectrum, but by no means do we agree with everything we publish. Our efforts and editorial choices consistently underscore our authors’ right to the freedom of speech. However, it should be clear to all readers that individual authors are responsible for the information, ideas or opinions in their articles, and very often, these do not reflect the views of PunjabTodayNews.com or other platforms of the group. Punjab Today does not assume any responsibility or liability for the views of authors whose work appears here.
Punjab Today believes in serious, engaging, narrative journalism at a time when mainstream media houses seem to have given up on long-form writing and news television has blurred or altogether erased the lines between news and slapstick entertainment. We at Punjab Today believe that readers such as yourself appreciate cerebral journalism, and would like you to hold us against the best international industry standards. Brickbats are welcome even more than bouquets, though an occasional pat on the back is always encouraging. Good journalism can be a lifeline in these uncertain times worldwide. You can support us in myriad ways. To begin with, by spreading word about us and forwarding this reportage. Stay engaged.
— Team PT