French Newspapers: The American Settler Project in Gaza is a Monstrous Idea

Watan-Three major French news outlets covered U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative in Gaza with striking headlines. Libération stated that “Settler Trump Sparks Global Fears,” Mediapart claimed that “Trump Calls for Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza,” while L’Obs asked, “Why is Trump Pushing a New Monstrous Idea?”

Libération opened its report by noting that Trump received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the first foreign leader he welcomed after returning to the White House. The newspaper reported that Trump caused shock and outrage when he announced that “the United States will take control of Gaza and own it for the long term,” emphasizing that “this was not a decision taken lightly.”

Israeli Press: Visionary or Delusional?

According to Libération‘s New York correspondent, Julien Gester, the former real estate mogul expressed his dream of building the “Côte d’Azur of the Middle East” in Gaza after repeatedly affirming his intention to displace more than two million Palestinians from the territory. He did not rule out deploying U.S. military forces to achieve this, displaying an extreme disregard for local, international, and human rights laws.

A Humanitarian Perspective?

Trump went even further, describing a different future for Gaza, a land he claimed had been a center of terrorism, attacks, hardships, and adversity. He suggested that this could be a turning point in history.

Netanyahu appeared pleased but also surprised, despite the announcement coming from a man he praises as “the greatest friend of Israel ever to enter the White House.” According to the newspaper, Netanyahu’s ultimate goal is to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.

Without acknowledging the history of the Palestinian people or their attachment to their land, Trump seemed confident that he could resolve a generations-old conflict within weeks—something years of diplomacy had failed to accomplish, according to Mediapart.

Trump stated, “I don’t think people should go back to Gaza. I believe it has brought them a lot of bad luck. Gaza is not a place where people can live, and the only reason they want to return is that they have no other choice.”

According to L’Obs, Trump framed his proposal as a humanitarian solution for the two million Palestinians in Gaza, which he described as a “hellhole even before the bombing began.” Mediapart reported that he called Gaza a “symbol of death and destruction for decades” and described its Palestinian inhabitants as “unfortunate” and living “miserable lives.”

Trump stated, “We will give people a chance. The most important thing is that those who have been completely destroyed can live in a much better situation. They must be removed from this miserable place, and the U.S. is willing to help them find a ‘beautiful place’ where they can live a better, happier life.”

Forced Displacement?

For Trump, neighboring Jordan and Egypt appear to be the primary destinations for displaced Gazans, and he is prepared to pressure them—Mediapart describes it as “blackmail”—to secure at least tacit approval for what it calls his ambition of “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza.

Widespread Rejection

Political and diplomatic leaders worldwide—from Europe to China, including Turkey, Jordan, and Russia—expressed near-unanimous shock and opposition, according to Libération.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reaffirmed France’s opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, calling it “a serious violation of international law.” His German counterpart stated, “This is unacceptable.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared, “Palestinians must be able to return to their homes and rebuild. We must help them do so.”

Palestinian leaders were united in their outrage and rejection of any further displacement. Their representative at the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, was among the first to react, even within Washington’s time zone.

Hamas accused Trump of “pouring fuel on the fire.” The group’s political bureau member, Izzat al-Rishq, stated, “The Palestinian people and their national forces will not allow any country on earth to occupy our land or impose guardianship over our great Palestinian people, who have shed rivers of blood to liberate it and establish our Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued an immediate response, reaffirming its “firm and unwavering stance,” asserting that the kingdom would continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and stating that it would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that condition.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, declared that international law is “crystal clear” on this matter: “Any forced transfer or expulsion of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited.” He added, “The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law, and all states must uphold it.”

In Washington, several Republican senators distanced themselves from Trump’s proposal. Libertarian-leaning Senator Rand Paul remarked, “I thought we voted for America First.” Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham grumbled, “Let’s see what this means, but clearly, this isn’t going to happen.”

During Trump’s speech, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the White House, chanting in shock and anger, “Gaza is not for sale.”

Despite the backlash, Trump remained confident, asserting that “Egypt and Jordan will do it, and other countries will accept it too.” His remarks triggered immediate protests from Amman and Cairo.

The White House later attempted to clarify, stating that Trump had “not yet committed” to deploying U.S. troops in Gaza and that the U.S. “will not fund the reconstruction” of the territory.

Trump suggested that “wealthy neighboring countries” could finance the initiative, adding, “People will be able to live in comfort and peace. We will make sure something truly amazing happens.”

“Make Gaza Beautiful Again”

According to Libération, Trump had already set the colonial conditions for his plan to expel Gaza’s population without explicitly stating them. His special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, remarked—before Netanyahu’s arrival—that when Trump spoke of “cleaning up Gaza,” he meant making it “livable.”

Witkoff dismissed the provision in the ceasefire agreement that allows Palestinians to return within five years as “ridiculous,” citing unexploded ordnance, collapsing buildings, and a lack of public services.

Mediapart reported that the plan to transform Gaza into the “Singapore of the Middle East” is not new, but very few of Trump’s close advisors were aware of it—according to The Wall Street Journal—including new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reportedly found the idea “brilliant” and congratulated Trump for aiming to “Make Gaza Beautiful Again,” an echo of Trump’s infamous slogan “Make America Great Again.”

During a relaxed, cheerful Oval Office meeting with Netanyahu by the fireplace, Trump expressed his “hope” that “1.7 or 1.8 million” Palestinians in Gaza could find refuge, happiness, and prosperity in places where they could “live wonderful lives without fearing death every day,” so that they would “no longer want to return” to what he called “hell.”

Libération concluded that Netanyahu and his most extremist allies in his coalition were ecstatic, praising Trump as a steadfast ally. However, the newspaper noted that it was difficult to imagine how a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages would remain stable given the upheaval in Washington. The speech effectively shattered the long-standing illusion of a two-state solution, which had remained the official White House policy for decades.