https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-official-says-trumps-remarks-abo...Summary
Trump's plan draws international condemnation
Saudi Arabia rejects displacement of Palestinians, demands Palestinian state
Russia backs Palestinian state
Palestinians fear another 'Nakba' amid Trump's controversial proposal
Netanyahu says Trump is thinking with fresh ideas
WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's plan for the U.S. to take over war-torn Gaza and create a "Riviera of the Middle East" after resettling Palestinians elsewhere has shattered U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and sparked widespread criticism.
The shock move from Trump, a former New York property developer, was swiftly condemned by international powers, with
regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, which Trump hopes will establish ties with Israel, rejecting the plan outright.
Turkey called the proposal "unacceptable" and France said it risked destabilising the Middle East.
Countries from Russia, China, Spain, Ireland and the UK said they continued to support the two-state solution that has formed the basis of Washington's policy in the region for decades.
Trump, in his first major Middle East policy announcement, said he envisioned building a resort where international communities could live in harmony after over 15 months of Israeli bombardment devastated the tiny coastal enclave and killed more than 47,000 people, by Palestinian tallies.
Trump's son-in-law and former aide, Jared Kushner, last year described Gaza as "valuable" waterfront property.The casual proposal sent diplomatic shockwaves across the Middle East and around the globe. China said it opposed the forced transfer of Palestinians.
"China has always believed that Palestinians governing Palestine is the basic principle of post-conflict governance," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, adding Beijing backs a two-state solution in the region.
Some of the toughest criticism came from France, which said the forced displacement of Gazans would be a serious violation of international law, an attack on the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians and destabilise the region.
An official from Palestinian militant group Hamas, which ruled the Gaza Strip before fighting Israel in a brutal war there, said Trump's statement about taking over the enclave was "ridiculous and absurd".
"Any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region," Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters, saying Hamas remains committed to the ceasefire accord with Israel and "ensuring the success of the negotiation in the second phase".
It is not clear whether Trump will go ahead with his controversial plan or is simply taking an extreme position as a bargaining strategy.