Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), joined 143 House Democrats in urging President Donald Trump to retract his statements that the civilian Palestinian population of the Gaza strip should be permanently relocated and the United States should take control of the region.

“Now more than ever, the United States must play a constructive role in the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the lawmakers wrote. “That is why we are alarmed that an American president would advocate for the forcible removal and permanent displacement of two million people. Such an act would not only be morally indefensible, but it would also violate the Geneva Convention, jeopardize US interests and troops, and undermine our global standing.”

“Following Hamas’s October 7th massacre – the deadliest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust – and the devastation caused by the ensuing Israel-Hamas war, the region is in dire need of real solutions,” the lawmakers continued. “The United States cannot promote forced displacement as a solution to this conflict.”

A copy of the letter can be found here. Text of the letter can be found below.

Dear President Trump,

We write to urge you to retract your dangerous February 4, 2025, comments declaring that the civilian Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip be permanently relocated, and that the United States “take over” the territory, “own” it, and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

 Now more than ever, the United States must play a constructive role in the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That is why we are alarmed that an American president would advocate for the forcible removal and permanent displacement of two million people. Such an act would not only be morally indefensible, but it would also violate the Geneva Convention, jeopardize US interests and troops, and undermine our global standing. The mere suggestion that American men and women in uniform or other U.S. personnel should be ordered to carry out such a crime in a volatile war zone is reckless and dangerous. Even to attempt the forcible removal of two million people would lead to an untold number of American casualties and a monumental increase in terrorism worldwide.

 Following Hamas’s October 7th massacre – the deadliest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust – and the devastation caused by the ensuing Israel-Hamas war, the region is in dire need of real solutions. The United States cannot promote forced displacement as a solution to this conflict. Such a move risks destabilizing the delicate ceasefire currently in place, endangering hostages still being held by Hamas, fueling extremist sentiments, and serving as a recruiting tool for terrorist organizations. As evidenced by the 1970 Black September in Jordan and the Palestinian insurgency in Lebanon of the 60s and 70s, hosting a Palestinian population in neighboring countries will neither guarantee Israel’s security nor substitute a long-term political solution. 

 Your remarks also risk jeopardizing the opportunity for the United States to work with our Arab partners – who have reaffirmed their commitment to comprehensive regional peace based on the rebuilding of Gaza and a pathway to a two-state solution. Rather than pursue the illegal and immoral path you have proposed, we urge you to work with Israel, as well as regional and global partners, to uphold the ceasefire agreement and bring all of the hostages home. Together, we can develop a realistic, internationally-backed, and funded plan to make Gaza livable for its existing residents as quickly as possible.

 Our commitment to Israel's security is unwavering, and we will work together to ensure that Israel never experiences another terrorist attack from Gaza like the one on October 7, 2023. A comprehensive regional agreement, including normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, is the only viable long-term solution that can guarantee peace, stability, and security for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. 

We look forward to working with you to advance equality, dignity, and lasting peace. However, we will not waver in our opposition to policies that undermine U.S. interests, law, and America’s principled moral position.

 Sincerely,

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