US Embassy in Tripoli Debunks Report on Relocating Palestinians to Libya

The US Embassy in Tripoli has debunked a report by NBC News claiming that the administration of President Donald Trump is working on a plan to relocate one million Palestinians to Libya. According to NBC, which cited five sources familiar with the matter, including two individuals directly involved and a former U.S. official, the administration is considering such a proposal. However, the US Embassy in Tripoli clarified via Twitter that the report regarding alleged plans to move Gaza residents to Libya is false. A representative from Libya’s Government of National Accord was unavailable for comment. President Trump has repeatedly stated this year that he wants the U.S. to ‘take’ the Gaza Strip and resettle its Palestinian population elsewhere. Palestinians strongly reject any plan that would force them to abandon their homeland, likening it to the Nakba (‘Catastrophe’) of 1948 when hundreds of thousands of their ancestors were expelled during the war leading to Israel’s establishment. When Trump initially floated the idea, he suggested allies like Egypt and Jordan could accommodate Gazans. Both Amman and Cairo rejected the notion, sparking international condemnation. Palestinians, Arab states, and the UN emphasized that implementing such a plan would amount to ethnic cleansing. In April, Trump reiterated that Palestinians could be relocated to various countries willing to accept them. During his visit to Qatar this week, Trump again expressed his desire for Washington to ‘take over’ the enclave and transform it into a ‘freedom zone,’ stating there is nothing left in Gaza worth saving. Earlier this year, he envisioned turning the coastal territory into the ‘Riviera of the Middle East.’