Arab League rejects attempts to relocate Palestinian people

"Circumventing these established principles and longstanding commitments, which have garnered Arab and international consensus, will only prolong the conflict and make peace even more unattainable," it added.

It reiterated that "the just Palestinian cause is one of land and people, and attempts to uproot the Palestinian people from their land through relocation, annexation, or settlement expansion have consistently failed in the past."

The organization affirmed that such attempts are "rejected and in violation of international law."

It highlighted that "forcibly displacing people from their land can only be described as ethnic cleansing."

The statement said "the current phase requires continuous efforts from all parties to solidify and sustain the ceasefire as a precursor to immediately commencing the reconstruction of Gaza and addressing the wounds of its people, who have endured 15 consecutive months of brutal warfare. The infrastructure of the (Gaza) Strip has suffered unprecedented destruction in the history of modern warfare."

The Arab League called on "all nations that believe in the two-state solution as a pathway to peace to work diligently and immediately to initiate a credible process to achieve this solution and implement it on the ground as soon as possible. This is the only way to ensure security and peace for Palestinians, Israelis, and all peoples of the region and the world."

Describing Gaza as a "demolition site," US President Donald Trump called on Saturday to “just clean out” the Palestinian enclave and resettle Palestinians in Jordan and Egypt.

“I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.

“You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over,’” he added.

His proposal came a week after a ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on Jan. 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured more than 111,000 since Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israeli onslaught has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.