The Palestinian Authorities have rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate the residents of the Gaza Strip.

“The Palestinian leadership affirms its firm position that the two-state solution, in accordance with international legitimacy and international law, is the guarantee of security, stability, and peace,” Mr Hussein al-Sheikh said.

Mr Al-Sheikh, the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), wrote on X on Wednesday.

The two-state solution provided for Israel and a Palestinian state to coexist as independent states.

The Palestinian leadership “affirms its rejection of all calls for the displacement of the Palestinian people from their homeland.

“We were born here; we have lived here, and we will remain here,’’ Mr Al-Sheikh added.

Following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Mr Trump said the U.S. “will take over the Gaza Strip.’’

Mr Trump said that the approximately two million Palestinians living in the territory should be relocated to other countries.

The forced relocation of Palestinians would be in violation of international humanitarian law.

Rule 129 of customary international humanitarian law states, “Parties to an international armed conflict may not deport or forcibly transfer the civilian population of an occupied territory.

“Either in whole or in part, unless the security of the civilians involved or imperative military reasons so demand.’’

While there are exceptions to the law, none of these is likely to apply in the case of Gaza. 

(dpa/NAN)