Trump’s bold Gaza takeover and displacement scheme faces fierce rejection at a Riyadh summit led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Full story here!
U.S. President Donald Trump’s provocative scheme to seize control of Gaza, uproot its 2 million residents, and reinvent it as a “Middle East Riviera” has set off a wave of fury across the region. On February 21, 2025, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gathered leaders from Gulf nations, Egypt, and Jordan for a high-stakes, private summit in Riyadh to plot a unified stand against this plan. Committed to a two-state framework, these Arab states have slammed Trump’s vision, with Jordan’s King Abdullah cautioning it risks unleashing “total disorder.” Hamas leader Ezzat El Rashq fired back, insisting Gaza “will never be sold,” galvanizing regional defiance.
Trump’s blueprint, reaffirmed in recent remarks, calls for relocating Palestinians to Egypt or Jordan—nations that swiftly dismissed the notion—and reimagining Gaza as a U.S.-run tourist paradise. The idea has provoked outrage far beyond Arab borders, with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan branding it a “global peace hazard.” The Riyadh meeting, happening now, is laying the groundwork for a larger Arab League summit on March 4 in Cairo, where leaders aim to cement their opposition to what critics call an imperial land grab.
US President Donald Trump:
— Daily News Egypt (@DailyNewsEgypt) February 21, 2025
📌 I was a little surprised Egypt and Jordan did not accept my plan
📌 Gaza plan really works, but I'm not forcing it. I'm just going to sit back and recommend it, and then the US would own the site
📌 If you gave the people of Gaza a choice between… pic.twitter.com/vNBUImUbyQ
This uproar unfolds against the backdrop of a shaky Gaza ceasefire, already strained by hostage exchanges and humanitarian woes. Trump’s proposal threatens to unravel fragile progress, with experts warning of heightened instability. On platforms like X, voices from Palestinians to international observers decry the plan, with one trending post stating, “Gaza’s fate isn’t Trump’s to decide.”
As Riyadh’s closed-door talks intensify, the Middle East watches closely. Can Arab solidarity derail Trump’s ambitions, or will he press on despite the storm? The clash has exposed raw regional nerves, promising more turbulence ahead. Follow developments at Al Jazeera for the latest twists.