France says forced displacement of Gazans would be ‘unacceptable'

Arab News

28-01-2025

'Any forced displacement of the population in Gaza would be unacceptable,' a French foreign ministry spokesman said'It would not only be a serious violation of international law, but also a major hindrance to the two-state solution' PARIS: France on Tuesday said any forced displacement of Gazans would be 'unacceptable' after US President Donald Trump proposed moving Gaza Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan.'Any forced displacement of the population in Gaza would be unacceptable,' a French foreign ministry spokesman said when asked about Trump's comments.'It would not only be a serious violation of international law, but also a major hindrance to the two-state solution,' the spokesman said, referring to calls for Israeli and Palestinian states living side-by-side.It would also be a 'destabilization factor (for) our close allies Egypt and Jordan.'Almost all of the Gaza Strip's 2.4 million inhabitants have been displaced by the war that began with Palestinian militant group Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.But a fragile ceasefire that came into force this month could boost permanent peace efforts.Trump on Monday expressed his desire to move Palestinians from Gaza to 'safer' locations such as Egypt or Jordan.Trump had on Saturday floated the idea to 'clean out' Gaza after the conflict, which he said had reduced the Palestinian territory to a 'demolition site.'After jointly mediating the ceasefire with the United States and Egypt, Qatar on Tuesday said the two-state solution was 'the only path forward.'Egypt and Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas have also strongly opposed Trump's proposal.