Cairo Says No To Trump!
CrossFireArabia- February 5, 2025
Egypt refuses to accept displaced Palestinians from Gaza, despite pressure from US President Donald Trump, US officials told the White House in recent days, according to Middle East Eye (MEE). Cairo has made it clear that it will not bow to financial incentives or political coercion.
Trump has also claimed that Jordan would take in Palestinians ahead of King Abdullah II’s visit to Washington next week. His administration’s push for forced displacement has sparked tensions with US diplomats in the region, who warned that the plan could destabilize Egypt, a key American ally.
A senior US diplomat told MEE that the White House remains “tone-deaf” to regional assessments and continues to push for the mass expulsion of Palestinians. Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the issue with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, but Egypt remains firm in its refusal.
Trump reiterated his stance before a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling Gaza a “pure demolition site.” He suggested relocating Palestinians to other countries, saying, “If we could find the right piece of land and build them some really nice places, that would be a lot better than going back to Gaza.”
Trump initially suggested that Egypt could take in refugees temporarily, but Witkoff later dismissed the idea, calling it “preposterous” to suggest that Palestinians could return after five years.
Israel has openly pushed for Egypt to accept Palestinian refugees since its genocide in Gaza began. Egyptian officials previously called this a “red line,” but the Trump administration’s support for the plan has emboldened Israeli leaders.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi condemned the proposal, calling it “an injustice that we cannot take part in.” Egyptian diplomats fear Trump may use military aid as leverage. Cairo receives $1.3 billion annually in US security assistance and is preparing for potential cuts.
Egypt’s security services organized rare protests at the Rafah border crossing last week, signaling strong opposition to Trump’s demands. An Egyptian official told MEE that the government may also allow protests outside the US embassy in Cairo.
Despite Sisi’s iron-fisted rule, he claimed last week that “if I were to ask this of the Egyptian people, all of them would take to the streets to say ‘no,’” according to the Quds News Network.
