Wed Feb 05 14:37:28 UTC 2025: ## US and Israel’s Gaza Actions Condemned as Attempted Ethnic Cleansing

**Gaza City, Palestine** – President Trump’s recent statements, endorsing Israel’s plan to permanently remove Palestinians from Gaza, have sparked outrage. Following a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Trump suggested Palestinians should leave Gaza, with the US subsequently taking control and transforming the territory into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”

These comments follow the near-total destruction of Gaza by the Israeli army, which the UN estimates has left 160,000 housing units destroyed and another 276,000 severely damaged. This widespread devastation, impacting 90% of housing, has displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and is being viewed by critics as an attempt at ethnic cleansing.

The article argues that Israel’s actions constitute a denial of the Palestinian “right to remain,” a concept encompassing not only physical presence but also access to essential infrastructure, cultural preservation, and self-determination. This right, crucial in settler-colonial contexts, is actively being undermined by the systematic destruction of homes, infrastructure, and cultural heritage sites. The author highlights the historical parallels with other settler-colonial projects where Indigenous populations have been forcibly displaced and their cultures erased.

While international humanitarian law mandates the protection of civilians and the right of return after conflict, Israel’s actions, backed by the US, appear to violate these principles. The proposed population transfer is not viewed as a temporary measure for protection, but rather as a permanent solution aimed at eliminating the Palestinian presence in Gaza.

The author contends that simple reconstruction efforts are insufficient. True fulfillment of the “right to remain” requires Palestinian self-determination and decolonization, arguing that any future plans for Gaza must prioritize Palestinian voices and aspirations for freedom. The article concludes by stating that a lasting solution can only be achieved through ending the occupation and ensuring Palestinian liberation.

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