By the Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA) & Palestine Solidarity Alliance Youth League (PSA YL)

The Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA) and PSA Youth League (PSA YL) unequivocally condemns the recent remarks and proposals by U.S. President Donald Trump, which advocate for the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, frame Gaza as a demolition site and suggest that Palestinians would prefer exile over reclaiming their homeland. His vision of transforming Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” under U.S. control is not only a gross violation of international law but also a continuation of colonial and imperialist policies aimed at erasing Palestinian identity and sovereignty.

Forced Displacement as a War Crime

President Trump’s proposal to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza is a direct violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits the forcible transfer or deportation of civilians from occupied territories under any circumstances. Such actions are classified as war crimes under Article 8(2)(a)(vii) and Article 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC.

Forced displacement is not merely a policy decision. It is an act of ethnic cleansing aimed at uprooting an entire population from their homeland. The suggestion that Palestinians should be relocated to neighboring countries such as Egypt or Jordan ignores their historical and legal right to remain on their land. It also perpetuates a colonial mindset in which powerful states dictate the fate of oppressed peoples without their consent.

Israel’s Role in Making Gaza Uninhabitable & U.S. Complicity

President Trump’s framing of Gaza as uninhabitable deliberately ignores the fact that Israel is responsible for creating these conditions through decades of ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and genocide. Since imposing an illegal blockade in 2007, Israel has systematically destroyed Gaza’s infrastructure through repeated military assaults, including indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas, hospitals, schools, and essential infrastructure such as water and electricity networks. The blockade has strangled Gaza’s economy, leaving it in a state of humanitarian catastrophe with one of the highest unemployment rates in the world while denying Palestinians access to basic necessities like medical supplies and clean water. These actions constitute collective punishment, a war crime under Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Furthermore, the ongoing siege and repeated massacres amount to genocide as defined under Article II of the Genocide Convention, which includes acts intended to destroy a national or ethnic group in whole or in part. Prior to October 2023, Gaza endured numerous large-scale military operations by Israel, including the devastating assaults in 2008-2009 (Operation Cast Lead), 2012 (Operation Pillar of Defense), 2014 (Operation Protective Edge) and 2021 (Operation Guardian of the Walls), which collectively killed thousands of civilians, displaced countless families, and decimated critical infrastructure.

Since October 2023, however, the situation has escalated into an unprecedented genocide. Israeli forces have launched relentless airstrikes and ground incursions that have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, including entire families wiped out in their homes. Hospitals have been bombed despite being filled with injured civilians, while schools and places of worship have been reduced to rubble. Gaza’s already fragile infrastructure has been obliterated, leaving its population without access to electricity, clean water, or medical care. The death toll continues to rise daily as Israel’s campaign of destruction targets civilians indiscriminately under the guise of self-defense. This ongoing genocide has turned Gaza into a graveyard for its people and a symbol of the international community’s failure to protect human life and uphold justice.

Israel’s justification for these atrocities under the guise of “self-defense” is not only disingenuous but also a manipulation of international law. As the aggressor and occupying power under international law, Israel bears full responsibility for the violence stemming from its illegal occupation and apartheid policies. The reality is that Palestinians are resisting decades of oppression, displacement and systematic dehumanization, actions that are their legitimate right under international law. The right to resist occupation is enshrined in customary international law and recognized by numerous UN resolutions. As South Africans who lived through apartheid, we know all too well the necessity and legitimacy of resistance against oppressive systems. During our own struggle for liberation, resistance fighters played a critical role in drawing global attention to apartheid’s brutality and ultimately dismantling that system. From sabotage campaigns to mass mobilizations against state violence, South African resistance was instrumental in achieving freedom, just as Palestinian resistance seeks to achieve theirs today. To label such resistance as terrorism while ignoring the structural violence of occupation is a gross distortion of justice and history.

The continuous supply of bombs, ammunition and military aid by the United States to Israel underscores its complicity in the ongoing genocide and war crimes being committed in Gaza. Since October 2023, the U.S. has provided Israel with a record-breaking $17.9 billion in military aid, including tens of thousands of bombs, artillery shells and other weapons used extensively in the indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinian civilians. These weapons, many of which, such as 2,000-pound bombs and “bunker busters”, are excessively lethal for urban warfare and have been deployed to destroy homes, schools, hospitals and refugee camps in Gaza. Despite mounting evidence that U.S.-supplied arms are being used to commit war crimes, including collective punishment and genocide as defined under the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Genocide Convention, the U.S. has not only failed to fulfill its obligation to prevent such crimes but has actively enabled them through continued arms transfers.

The United States’ financial and military support for Israel is not a passive act. It is a deliberate policy decision that makes it a direct accomplice in the atrocities being committed. The Biden administration’s approval of over 100 weapons shipments since the onset of the genocide in October 2023, as well as its vetoes of multiple UN Security Council resolutions calling for ceasefires and humanitarian aid access, demonstrates its prioritization of geopolitical alliances over human rights and international law. While President Trump has continued this policy by authorizing additional arms shipments to Israel, this complicity is not new. The U.S. has long been Israel’s largest military backer, supplying over $310 billion in economic and military aid since Israel’s founding. This unwavering support ensures that Israel can continue its campaign of ethnic cleansing and apartheid with impunity.

The hypocrisy of U.S. policy is glaring. While President Trump has criticized South Africa’s Expropriation Bill under the guise of protecting property rights, he simultaneously supports Israel’s illegal expropriation of Palestinian land in Gaza under the guise of development. The U.S.’s provision of weapons and financial backing for Israel’s genocidal policies stands in stark contrast to its professed commitment to democracy and human rights globally. By continuing to fund and arm an occupying power engaged in systematic violations of international law, the United States bears significant responsibility for the death and destruction inflicted on Gaza’s civilian population. This complicity not only undermines America’s credibility on human rights but also perpetuates cycles of violence and suffering that destabilize the region further. It is imperative that the international community hold both Israel and its enablers accountable for their actions.

Ultimately, Trump’s suggestion that Palestinians would prefer exile over reclaiming their homeland is not only insulting but also ignores their resilience and steadfastness. Despite decades of occupation, siege, and displacement, Palestinians have consistently upheld their right to return to their ancestral lands, a right enshrined in international law.

The Right of Return

The right of return for Palestinian refugees is a cornerstone of international law, enshrined in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 (1948) and reaffirmed in numerous subsequent resolutions. Article 13(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights further guarantees that “everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” These principles affirm that Palestinians displaced by war, occupation or other coercive measures have an inalienable right to return to their homes and properties.

President Trump’s remarks dismiss this fundamental right, framing Gaza as uninhabitable and suggesting that Palestinians would prefer exile over reclaiming their homeland. This narrative is both insulting and false. For decades, Palestinians have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to their right of return despite immense suffering under occupation, siege and displacement.

Historical Parallels: The Nakba

Trump’s proposal mirrors the events of the Nakba (“catastrophe”) in 1948, when over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homes to pave the way for the creation of what is known by the West today as the State of Israel. Entire villages were destroyed, families were torn apart, and refugees were denied their right to return, a reality that persists today for millions of Palestinians living in exile or under occupation.

The Nakba was not an isolated event. It marked the beginning of a systematic campaign to erase Palestinian identity and replace it with a settler-colonial state. The current situation in Gaza is a continuation of this campaign. By proposing mass displacement once again, Trump’s administration seeks to repeat history while ignoring its catastrophic human cost.

Reparations for Palestinians

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion issued in July 2024 emphasized the urgent need for reparations for Palestinians who have suffered under Israel’s illegal occupation since 1967. The ICJ ruled that Israel must provide full reparations for the extensive harm it has caused, including the destruction of property, loss of livelihoods, and violations of human rights. These reparations are not only a legal obligation but also a moral imperative to address decades of systemic oppression, displacement, and violence inflicted on the Palestinian people. The court specifically called for compensation to both individuals and communities for damages resulting from illegal settlement activities, land confiscation, and military aggression. Reparations must also include the restoration of land unlawfully expropriated by Israel and the rebuilding of infrastructure destroyed during its repeated assaults on Gaza and the West Bank.

It is crucial that this call for reparations is implemented in full, as failure to do so would not only perpetuate injustice but also embolden further violations of international law. Instead of addressing its obligations under the ICJ ruling, Israel continues to expand illegal settlements and expropriate more Palestinian land under the guise of security or development. This blatant disregard for international law undermines any prospects for peace and exacerbates the suffering of Palestinians. Reparations must focus on restoring stolen land and rebuilding lives, not facilitating further theft or displacement.

President Trump’s proposal to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza and turn it into a U.S-controlled “Riviera” goes entirely against the ICJ’s call for reparations. Rather than holding Israel accountable for its crimes and ensuring that Palestinians are compensated for decades of suffering, this plan seeks to dispossess them further while exploiting their land for economic gain. It represents a continuation of colonial practices that prioritize profit over justice and development over human rights. Such a proposal not only deepens the injustice faced by Palestinians but also flagrantly disregards the ICJ’s findings, pushing the region further away from accountability, restitution, and peace.

Escalation in the West Bank Amid Ceasefire in Gaza

While a fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza after over 470 days of devastating attacks, Israeli aggression has escalated dramatically in the West Bank. Settler violence against Palestinian communities has reached unprecedented levels, with homes burned, olive groves uprooted and civilians attacked, all under the protection or complicity of Israeli forces. Military raids on Palestinian towns have intensified, resulting in mass arrests and extrajudicial killings. These actions are part of a broader strategy to expand illegal settlements while displacing Palestinians from their land.

On his first day back in office, President Trump issued an executive order reinforcing U.S. support for Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, a move that directly contradicts international law. This blatant endorsement further emboldens Israel to continue its apartheid policies with impunity.

Apartheid Regime Confirmed by ICJ

The ICJ Advisory Opinion reaffirmed that Israel’s policies amount to apartheid, a crime against humanity under Article 7(1)(j) of the Rome Statute. By maintaining separate legal systems for Israelis and Palestinians; restricting Palestinian movement through checkpoints, walls and permits; expropriating land for settlements; and denying basic rights such as access to water and education, Israel has institutionalized racial segregation reminiscent of South Africa’s apartheid era.

U.S. Bias and Complicity

The Trump administration has consistently aligned itself with Israeli policies at the expense of Palestinian rights. In 2018, Trump moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, effectively endorsing Israel’s illegal annexation of East Jerusalem and undermining Palestinian claims to the city as their capital. This move was widely condemned by the international community as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a threat to peace efforts.

Now, by proposing forced displacement from Gaza, Trump has further entrenched U.S. complicity in Israel’s violations of international law. His administration’s one-sided approach has emboldened Israeli leaders like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes committed during military operations in Gaza, to act with impunity.

Netanyahu’s Impunity

It is deeply troubling that Netanyahu was welcomed as Trump’s first foreign guest during his presidency despite being implicated in serious crimes under international law. The ICC has identified Netanyahu as bearing responsibility for acts such as targeting civilians during military operations in Gaza, using starvation as a weapon and unlawfully appropriating Palestinian land, all violations outlined in Articles 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute.

By welcoming Netanyahu while ignoring his arrest warrant issued by an international tribunal tasked with upholding justice globally, Trump’s administration has signaled its disregard for accountability mechanisms designed to protect human rights worldwide.

Colonial Mindset: U.S. Control Over Gaza

Trump’s suggestion that Gaza could become a “Riviera” under U.S. control raises serious questions about how any nation can claim ownership over land that does not belong to it. Gaza is part of historic Palestine, a land with deep cultural, historical and religious significance for its people. The idea that it can be rebranded as a tourist destination under foreign control reflects a colonial mindset that prioritizes profit over people.

This proposal also ignores the root cause of Gaza’s suffering: Israel’s illegal blockade and repeated military assaults, which have devastated infrastructure, economy and civilian life. Instead of addressing these injustices, Trump seeks to displace Palestinians further while exploiting their land for economic gain.

Our Call to Action

The PSA and PSA YL calls on:

 The International Community: We urge governments around the world to reject Trump’s proposals unequivocally and reaffirm their commitment to upholding international law. States must hold Israel accountable for its violations under both the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute.

The United Nations: We call on UN bodies to enforce resolutions affirming Palestinians’ right to return and take immediate action against forced displacement efforts.

Civil Society: We encourage activists, organizations, and individuals worldwide to amplify Palestinian voices and resist attempts to normalize apartheid policies disguised as “humanitarian” solutions.

The ICC: We demand that international justice mechanisms pursue accountability for Netanyahu’s alleged war crimes without political interference or delay.

Conclusion

The hypocrisy surrounding President Trump’s stance on land expropriation further highlights his administration’s double standards. While Trump has publicly criticized South Africa’s Expropriation Bill, claiming it undermines property rights and threatening economic consequences, he simultaneously supports Israel’s illegal expropriation of Palestinian land in Gaza under the guise of development. His proposal to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza while envisioning it as a U.S.-controlled “Riviera” is a clear act of colonialism that mirrors apartheid-era land grabs in South Africa. This blatant contradiction exposes Trump’s selective outrage: he opposes land redistribution aimed at correcting historical injustices in South Africa but endorses land theft in Palestine to benefit an occupying power. Such duplicity underscores the imperialist motives behind his policies and his disregard for international law when it suits his political agenda.

The PSA and PSA YL stand firmly with the Palestinian people in their struggle for justice, dignity and selfdetermination. We reject all attempts to erase Palestinian identity or dispossess them from their land under any pretext. History has shown us that peace cannot be achieved through oppression or displacement. It can only come through justice.

We reaffirm our solidarity with Palestine and commit ourselves to resisting all forms of injustice until every Palestinian can live freely on their ancestral land with full rights guaranteed under international law.

Issued by the Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA) & Palestine Solidarity Alliance Youth League (PSA YL) Johannesburg, South Africa

For queries email azhar@psayl.co.za