As international circles reported growing discourse on resettling the Palestinians living in Gaza, both Egyptian and Jordanian parties voiced the strongest disapprobation toward such ideas and proposals. A solution that would send Palestinians to any of these neighboring countries would mean repeating the Nakba of 1948 at least for Palestine-at least, so both countries see.
The Foreign Ministry in Egypt has denied the idea of any relocation of Palestinians in the Sinai Peninsula as part of a wider solution to the conflict. The Ministry has also viewed such a step as a second Nakba-a reference to the mass exodus of Palestinians in connection with the establishment of Israel in 1948-leaving millions of Palestinians stateless, and Egypt is keen not to play a part in duplicating this historical injustice.
Egypt’s refusal is linked not only to moral grounds but also to practical considerations: taking into care millions of Palestinians would not only be unbearably weighty for its resources, infrastructure, and security but, even more importantly, contradict the right of the Palestinian people to their land and give in to normalizing their permanent status as refugees.
Similarly, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has also ruled out any intentions for the resettling of Palestinians into Jordan. He emphatically stated the country’s tough stance that “Jordan is for Jordanians and Palestine is for Palestinians.” This position reveals Jordan’s long-standing commitment to the national identity and rights of Palestinians.
Jordan has already borne the brunt of previous Palestinian displacements; it is currently hosting the single largest population of Palestinian refugees in the world. Its treaty of peace with Israel carries clauses to prevent forced transfers of people into its territories, which the kingdom sees as threats to its security and stability. Safadi sends an apparent message that Jordan will not allow the use of its territory as a substitute for the core issues in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the Nakba of 1948, upwards of 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly dispersed to neighboring host countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. These refugees and their descendants have lived for decades either stateless or marginal, with the barest of rights in host countries and no legal access to the ancestral homes where they once belonged.
A second mass displacement would not only deepen the humanitarian crisis but finally sever Palestinians from their homeland and nullify any claims to historical, cultural, and legal right to Palestine as required under international law with respect to the rights of refugees to return.
Egypt and Jordan’s utter rejection underlines the broader commitment of the Arab world to the defense of Palestinian rights. Moving settlement is not a solution; rather, it diverts attention from the root causes of the conflict-that is, the Israeli occupation and denial of Palestinian self-determination.
Both countries are conveying a clear message to the international community: any solution should focus on justice, dignity, and the protection of Palestinian identity. Proposals for relocation, while presented as pragmatic answers to the crisis, are regarded as undermining these principles and perpetuating cycles of displacement and injustice.
As the debate on the future of Palestinians rages on, it is important that the international community streamlines efforts toward the realization of their rights and dignity. This includes:
Protection of the Right of Return: The right of Palestinians to return to their homes and lands is a fundamental principle of international law that should be respected.
Ending the Occupation: This presupposes a resolution to the root of the conflict through ending the Israeli occupation. It also involves supporting self-determination for an independent Palestinian state.
Humanitarian Support: There should be an immediate prioritizing of aid and reconstruction in Gaza without any conditions that undermine Palestinian sovereignty.
The firm rejection by Egypt and Jordan of the proposals for the relocation of Palestinians is a reflection of their commitment to justice and the preservation of Palestinian identity. Forcing Palestinians into permanent displacement would only repeat the historical injustices of the Nakba. Instead, what is needed is to work toward solutions on an international scale that uphold Palestinian rights, respect international law, and create a future in which Palestinians can live freely and securely in their homeland.
