Australia’s Palestinians ‘deeply shocked’ at Trump’s ‘outrageous’ Gaza plan
Palestinians in Australia have been left ‘deeply shocked’ by Donald Trump’s ‘utterly outrageous’ vow to take over Gaza and transform it into a ‘jobs hub’ while forcing out Gazans in the process.
Palestinians in Australia have been left “deeply shocked” by Donald Trump’s vow to take over the Gaza Strip and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, forcing out Gazans in the process.
Calling the US President’s Wednesday comments and Gaza proposal “utterly outrageous” and “deeply inflammatory”, they also feared it was intended as a precursor to the shaky Israel-Hamas ceasefire breaking down before its second stage.
Mahmoud Kaskeen, born and raised in Gaza, moved to Sydney seven years ago and founded the Gaza Australian Program to help settle Palestinian refugees arriving amid the conflict.
He slammed Mr Trump’s comments, saying an approach anywhere close to the President’s proposals would not lead to peace but suffering.
“The proposal to ‘take over and level Gaza’ is utterly outrageous,” Mr Kaskeen said.
His neurosurgeon sister, Mona, arrived in Sydney last year as she fled the conflict, and his cousin remains missing in Gaza amid the enclave’s destruction.
“It’s a deeply inflammatory stance that not only violates international law but also deepens the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region,” he said of Mr Trump’s plans.
“Such rhetoric only serves to fuel tensions, disregarding the lives of innocent civilians on both sides. More than that, it completely undermines any genuine efforts toward peace.”
Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday Eastern Time, Mr Trump’s radical vision – which drew gasps from members of the audience – would involve the relocation of Palestinians to sites in neighbouring Arab countries and America’s “long-term ownership” over the enclave.
Mr Trump said he was prepared to use US troops to realise his vision.
“We’ll do what is necessary – if it (deploying American troops) is necessary, we’ll do that,” he said.
“We’re going to take over that piece (of land). And we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of.”
But Mr Kaskeen said if Mr Trump’s proposals came to fruition it would have the “opposite effect” to building lasting peace, both for Palestinians and Israelis, but also the wider region.
“It would lead to more violence and suffering, not only for Palestinians, but for Jewish communities as well,” he said, adding that the international community would also feel the repercussions.
“Even if Israel were to pursue such a course, it would never find lasting security or peace in the region.”
Mr Kaskeen reiterated that the only solution to the conflict in Gaza was one with two states living side-by-side in peace, and urged world leaders to “unite” against Mr Trump’s “reckless and irresponsible proposals”.
“Without this, I fear we’ll see more global unrest, including the dangerous rise of anti-Semitism,” he said.
Palestinian Mariam Dawwas, who arrived in Sydney with her family in late 2023, told The Australian in January that she was concerned that Israel would break the ceasefire deal.
She said she was “shocked” at Mr Trump’s comments and believed her previous fears would come to fruition.
“I feel (Mr Trump) is preparing people to accept that the ceasefire will be broken,” she said.
“I was afraid that stage one (of the ceasefire) wouldn’t hold, and I feel he’s saying that stage two won’t likely come to life.”
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