German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier strongly criticized US President Donald Trump on Wednesday over his plan to “take over” Gaza and permanently resettle its Palestinian population in other countries.
“A solution that disregards or even violates international law is unacceptable,” Steinmeier said during his visit to Ankara. He expressed his doubt about the potential success of such talks between Trump administration and Arab states.
Following high-level meetings in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, Steinmeier emphasized widespread regional opposition to the proposed plan. Speaking to German media before meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Steinmeier said he encountered “only disappointment, many concerns, and in some cases real outrage” about Trump’s plan.
The German president stressed that any viable solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict must ensure both “security for Israel and self-determination for Palestinians.”
“This is a difficult and possibly longer path,” Steinmeier acknowledged. “But I fear arbitrary shortcuts from this path — especially those disregarding international law and its rules — will not lead to the goal.”
His remarks follow Trump’s declaration that the “US will take over the Gaza Strip” during a news conference Tuesday evening alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump said the Gazan population should be moved to countries like Jordan and Egypt, with the US turning the land into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
The proposal drew sharp condemnation from Palestine and was flatly rejected by numerous countries, including China, Russia, Türkiye, Spain, France, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.