FOREIGN Secretary David Lammy has failed to condemn Donald Trump’s call for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza – instead saying the US president “is right” that the region lies in ruins.
The Labour MP spoke to press while on a visit to Ukraine on Wednesday, after Trump met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House and called for the expulsion of Palestinians against their will.
Put to Trump that Palestinians in Gaza did not want to leave their homeland, the US president responded: “I don't know how they could want to stay.
“It's a demolition site. It's a pure demolition site.
“If we can find the right piece of land or numerous pieces of land and build them some really nice places, with plenty of money in the area, that's for sure, I think that would be a lot better than going back to Gaza, which has had just decades and decades of death.”
"We've always been clear in our belief that we must see two states, we must see Palestinians able to live and prosper in their homelands in Gaza, in the West Bank. That is what we want to get to.
"That is why it's important that we move out of phase one of this hostage deal to phase two, and then to phase three, and reconstructing Gaza.
"We will play our part in that support for reconstruction, working alongside the Palestinian Authority and alongside Gulf and Arab partners. That's the guarantee that we all need to ensure that there is a future for Palestinians in their homeland."
The comments are a far cry from the response issued by First Minister John Swinney, who said that “any suggestion Palestinians should be removed from their home is unacceptable and dangerous”.
“There must be no ethnic cleansing. Only a proper-two state solution will bring lasting peace,” the SNP leader added.
Ireland’s foreign affairs minister, Simon Harris, also used much stronger language than Lammy to respond to Trump’s proposal, calling it “very concerning”.
“I think it would be important that the United States would clarify the comments of the president overnight, because the international communities have put a huge effort now into bringing about a ceasefire," Harris said.
“The comments last night were, of course, very concerning, but the focus has to be on keeping the ceasefire in place, a fragile ceasefire that has seen aid finally flowing to the people of Gaza, the bombing stopping and hostages released.”
Spain’s foreign affairs minister, José Manuel Albares, rejected Trump’s comments outright.
"Gaza residents need to know that Spain will support them,” he said in remarks reported by El Diario.
"Gaza is the land of the Gazan Palestinians, they must remain in Gaza because Gaza is part of the future Palestinian State that Spain is committed to.”
France’s foreign ministry also rejected the US president’s comments, saying in a statement: "France reiterates its opposition to any forced displacement of the Palestinian population of Gaza, which would constitute a serious violation of international law, an attack on the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians, but also a major obstacle to the two-state solution and a major destabilising factor for our close partners Egypt and Jordan as well as for the entire region.”
