JEDDAH: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned and rejected plans to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land.
The Islamic world body, in a statement on Monday, said whether temporarily or permanently, efforts to undermine the Palestinian cause are a blatant violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday called to “just clean out” the Gaza Strip and resettle Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt, describing the enclave as a “demolition site.”
Trump’s proposal came a week after the January 19 ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement in Gaza took effect. Egypt and Jordan have dismissed the resettlement plan.
Devastation in Gaza
Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, 2023, has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians and left the blockaded enclave in ruins.
The OIC in the statement renewed its call for the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces, the unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip, and support for the displaced to return to their homes.
It also emphasised the need to enable the Palestinian government to fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining the unity of Palestinian territories, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, and implementing emergency relief programs, economic recovery, and reconstruction efforts.
The OIC reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to their land and holy sites, urging the global community to implement the two-state solution in a manner that ensures the end of Israeli occupation, allows the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and reclaim their legitimate rights, and secures a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the region, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
Palestinian Presidency rejects displacement plans
The Palestinian presidency has rejected all plans to displace Palestinians from Gaza. “We will not allow the repetition of the catastrophes that befell our people in the years 1948 and 1967 … our people will not leave,” it said in a statement.
Al-Quds brigades act to secure northern Gaza return
The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Hamas in a statement on Sunday said that they have taken steps to eliminate Israeli pretexts to obstruct the return of forcibly displaced Palestinians from southern Gaza to the north.
ALSO READ: Israel, Hamas Trade Blame As Gazans Await Returning To North
Israel “deliberately disrupts the lives of our people and takes away their joy. We have taken the necessary measures to remove the excuses fabricated by the enemy to block the return of our people to northern Gaza,” the brigades said in a statement on Telegram.
For Palestinians, any attempt to move them from Gaza would evoke dark historical memories of what the Arab world calls the “Nakba” or catastrophe — the mass displacement of Palestinians during Israel’s creation 75 years ago.
