EFF condemns Trump’s call for Palestinian displacement from Gaza

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the latest comments made by United States President Donald Trump, in which he openly called for the forced and permanent removal of Palestinians from Gaza to facilitate Israel's exclusive control over the region.

IOL reported on Tuesday during a press conference, Trump suggested that Palestinians would “love to leave” Gaza, while touting his vision of transforming the beleaguered enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” He claimed that under long-term US ownership, the area could be rebuilt, with promises of job creation and economic prosperity.

The party decried Trump's remarks as part of an ongoing genocidal campaign backed by both the United States and Israel, aimed at erasing the Palestinian population from their land.

Trump's recent declaration that Palestinians should be permanently relocated from Gaza to other countries, such as Jordan or Egypt, has raised alarm worldwide.

The US president suggested that Palestinians would be given "much better housing" elsewhere, disregarding the harsh reality of their forced displacement. His proposal confirms longstanding suspicions about Israel's Zionist agenda to depopulate Gaza, keeping the land solely for Israel’s use.

This policy is not new. As the EFF points out, it is the culmination of a systematic campaign of destruction that has left Gaza in ruins.

"This is not a new policy it is the final step in a campaign of destruction," said Sinawo Tambo, national spokesperson for the EFF.

"Gaza has been left in ruins with entire families wiped out, and critical infrastructure like hospitals and universities demolished."

The EFF also highlighted that over 8 million Palestinians are already displaced globally, having been violently uprooted during the 1948 Nakba and denied their right to return home.

The so-called ceasefire, initially meant to provide humanitarian relief, has proven to be another deception.

While some Palestinians attempted to return to Gaza, they found their homes destroyed or uninhabitable. Necessities are scarce, and many have been shot by Israeli forces simply for trying to return.

"While aid deliveries have been blocked and the Red Cross unable to recover bodies, the brutal oppression continues," the EFF said.

At the same time, Israel has escalated attacks on the West Bank, further demonstrating its intent to continue its campaign of violence and displacement. Since the beginning of the year, over 70 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 26,000 have been displaced.

"It is evident that Israel never intended for the ceasefire to be a step toward peace— it is merely a tactical pause before resuming its genocidal campaign," Tambo said.

The EFF also condemned Trump's hypocrisy in supporting Israel's violent actions against Palestinians while accusing the South African government of conducting "land grabs" against Afrikaners.

This false narrative is seen as an attempt to punish South Africa for its stance in taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its actions in Palestine. Trump’s accusations come despite his open support for Israel’s violent dispossession of Palestinians.

Furthermore, Trump’s threats against the International Criminal Court (ICC) underscore his commitment to shielding war criminals.

Following the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, Trump has moved to sanction the court in an effort to cripple its ability to hold perpetrators accountable.

The EFF called this a direct attack on global justice, noting that the USA is not a signatory to the Rome Statute and thus has no authority to challenge the ICC's operations.

The EFF reiterated its unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their right to resist occupation.

"We call on all progressive forces across the world to reject the genocidal policies of Israel and its backers, including Donald Trump and the United States government," Tambo said. The party stressed that the world must stand against these atrocities to prevent history from remembering it as the greatest failure of humanity.

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