Berlin: US President Donald Trump’s plans to “take over” war-ravaged Gaza a “scandal”, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Sunday. A week ago, Trump had proclaimed that Washington would take control of the Gaza Strip, clear it out of its inhabitants and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” Agence France-Presse reported.
Addressing a pre-election TV debate here, Scholz said that the relocation of the war-hit population is unacceptable and against international law.
Scholz’s rival and conservative Friedrich Merz said that he shared his assessment.
Merz then said that Trump’s announcement is part of a whole series of proposals coming from the US administration.
"We have to wait and seriously see what is really meant and how it will be implemented. There is probably a lot of rhetoric involved," AFP quoted Merz.
The UK informed on Thursday that it will oppose any efforts to move Palestinians from the Gaza Strip against their will. British foreign minister Anneliese Dodds told the English Parliament that there must be no forced displacement of Palestinians nor reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip. Trump's "take over" announcement, which came two days after his meeting with war-crime accused Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, received severe outcry across the world. Congress party in India sharply came down on US President Donald Trump over his “taking over” of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Congress General Secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, called Trump’s statement “bizarre” and unacceptable.
Days ago, Trump approved a $7.4 billion arms deal with Israel, supplying the country with a range of bombs, missiles, and related equipment.
The State Department formally cleared the sale, which includes $6.75 billion worth of bombs, guidance kits, and fuses, along with an additional $660 million in Hellfire missiles, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
The DSCA claimed that the sale is intended to enhance Israel’s ability to counter current and future threats, bolster homeland security, and act as a deterrent against regional adversaries.