Trump Criticism, French President Affirms Gaza Is Home To 2 Million People

Gaza/WHO DOK Condition

French President Emmanuel Macron criticized US President Donald Trump's proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, insisting the measure would violate their rights and international law.

"You can't say to two million people, 'OK, now guess what? You're moving," Macron said in an exclusive interview with CNN at Elysee Palace, Anadolu reported on Wednesday, February 12.

"The correct answer is not a real estate operation, this is a political operation," he added.

Trump recently outlined a controversial plan to move Palestinians to neighboring Egypt and Jordan, while pushing the US "long-term possession" of Gaza.

He also proposed re-developing the region into a luxurious destination, an idea backed by Israel's Chief Authority Benjamin Netanyahu and several right-wing settlers in Israel.

Macron, while reaffirming France's support for Israel's security, has been vocal in criticizing the country's military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. France suspended arms exports to Israel in October 2024 and urged other countries to do the same.

"I have always emphasized my disapproval with Prime Minister (Israel) Netanyahu," Macron said.

"I don't believe that this massive operation that sometimes targeting civilians is the right answer," he added.

He stressed the importance of respecting the rights of Palestinians to stay in their homeland, and noted that regional powers such as Jordan and Egypt also rejected the proposed transfer.

The international community has widely condemned Trump's plans. The United Nations warned against what it called ethnic cleansing, while Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares firmly stated that Gaza's land was Gaza.

Then, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the idea unacceptable, while Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that forced transfer would cause more suffering and instability.

In addition, British Foreign Minister David Lemmy appears to recognize Trump's concerns over the destruction in Gaza, but reaffirms Britain's commitment to a two-state solution.