Trump faces backlash over Gaza comments, impeachment call raised
Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump's comments about Gaza have sparked significant backlash from both the Republican and Democratic parties, with accusations of “ethnic cleansing” and a call for his impeachment.
In a recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump proposed that the United States “take over Gaza” and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” by removing its Palestinian population. He reiterated that the residents of Gaza, which has been devastated by 15 months of Israeli war and over 47,000 casualties, could relocate to Jordan or Egypt. However, both countries have opposed this proposal.
Impeachment Call Against Trump
Democratic Congressman Al Green from Texas strongly condemned Trump's remarks, saying, “Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the president of the United States, the most powerful person in the world.” He also criticized Israel's Prime Minister for allowing such comments, affirming that he “should be ashamed, knowing the history of his people, to stand there and allow such things to be said.”
“Dr King was right. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States of America,” he added. “I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed, and dastardly deeds done.”
Meanwhile, Jake Auchincloss, a Democratic Congressman, slammed the proposal as “reckless and unreasonable,” pointing out that Trump's political motivations, often driven by a “nepotistic, self-serving connection,” could further destabilize the already fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American Democratic Congresswoman, firmly rejected the idea of displacing Palestinians. “Palestinians aren’t going anywhere,” Tlaib wrote X. “This president can only spew this fanatical bulls‑‑‑ because of bipartisan support in Congress for funding genocide and ethnic cleansing. It’s time for my two-state solution colleagues to speak up.”
In a similar vein, Senator Chris Van Hollen condemned Trump’s proposal, calling it “ethnic cleansing,” and warning that such actions could “give ammunition to Iran and other adversaries.”
Challenges within the Republican Party
Trump’s plan has also sparked internal debate within the Republican Party, with some expressing reservations about its implications. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of Trump, described the proposal as “problematic,” doubting whether the American public would support sending troops to Gaza to implement the plan.
When asked about the possibility of deploying US troops to Gaza, White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt avoided giving a definitive answer, stating only that “the president has made it clear that they need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza.”
“It’s a demolition site.”
