'Unacceptable and dangerous': John Swinney leads scathing response to Donald Trump’s ‘take over’ Gaza claim

Mr Trump’s claims prompted widespread condemnation, with former first minister Humza Yousaf also insisting Gaza “belongs to the people of Gaza”.

The US president’s suggestion came at a White House news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr Trump detailed a plan to build new settlements for Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip, and for the US to take “ownership” in redeveloping the war-torn territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East”.

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Mr Trump said.

“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs.”

Writing on X, Mr Swinney warned against the plan, saying: “After months of collective punishment and the death of over 40,000 in Gaza, any suggestion Palestinians should be removed from their home is unacceptable and dangerous. There must be no ethnic cleansing.”

Speaking to journalists on a visit to Harland & Wolff in Fife later in the day, Mr Swinney made clear: “I can’t any way, shape or form agree with what President Trump said last night.

“The solution to the Middle East problem is a two-state solution, which involves recognising a sovereign, independent Palestinian state, including Gaza.”

Asked about the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer sought to distance himself from Mr Trump’s comments.

He said: “The most important issue is that the ceasefire is sustained. I have two images fixed in my mind. The first is [former hostage] Emily Damari reuniting with her mother. The second is thousands of Palestinians literally walking through the rubble to try to find their homes and their communities.

“Palestinians must be allowed home, they must be allowed to rebuild and we should be with them in that rebuild - on the way to a two-state solution.”

Mr Yousaf, whose parents-in-law were trapped in Gaza for a number of weeks in 2023 as the conflict flared, also criticised Mr Trump’s remarks.

He said: “Why is it a living hell? Who bombed it, killing tens of thousands of people, including children, and reduced Gaza to rubble?

“Also, what Trump calls ‘permanent resettlement’ is what the rest of the world should call ethnic cleansing. Gaza belongs to the people of Gaza. Period.”

SNP MP Stephen Gethins claimed the US president appeared to be playing “fast and loose” with international law.

He told The Scotsman: “The forcible removal of people from their homes is against international law.

“The UK government needs to remind the USA of its international obligations. More than that, we need to work together with our international partners who believe in humanitarianism, the rule of law and a two-state solution.

“That means the UK getting over itself on Brexit and working ever more closely with our European partners on foreign policy, defence and security co-operation, including in any response to the war in Gaza.”

Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman warned there could be “no ambiguity” over what the move suggested by Mr Trump represented.

He said: “If Palestinians are stopped from returning to their homes, then it is ethnic cleansing.

“The mere suggestion of this happening is appalling and there is no getting away from this being a war crime, one in a long line perpetrated by Netanyahu’s extreme far right government.

“The UK needs to take action and show international leadership and stand by its rhetoric that we want to be a government that believes in international law.”

Mr Netanyahu, in attending the press conference alongside the US president, had said it is “worth paying attention to this”.

Telling reporters his government wanted to “make sure Gaza never poses a threat to Israel again”, he added: “President Trump is taking it to a much higher level.”

Mr Trump’s comments also sparked a row before PMQs, with the SNP urging Sir Keir to speak out after UK environment secretary Steve Reed declined to comment on the situation. Appearing on Sky News, Mr Reed claimed the UK government would not "provide a running commentary on the pronouncements of the president of the United States or any other world leader”.

Responding, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “It’s a barely imaginable thing to say, but the United States of America appears to be backing the ethnic cleansing of Gaza - with all the hallmarks of an aggressive colonial power.

“As a friend and ally, the UK must use its voice to urgently intervene. The Prime Minister must condemn these dangerous plans in no uncertain terms - and the UK government must speak out, act and pull every diplomatic lever to protect Palestinians.

“In doing so, the Prime Minister must make clear his support for the rebuilding of Gaza for the Palestinian people and, if necessary, his willingness to support the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers to protect civilians from further death, destruction or forcible removal.”

Scottish Green co-leader Lorna Slater said it was time for all governments to “stand up against Donald Trump and his ethnic cleansing proposals”.

She said: “The last 15 months have inflicted so much death and destruction, which has been armed, supported and fuelled by governments around the world, including the UK.

“Those arms sales should never have happened in the first place and must not continue for a day longer. It emphasises why we should never cosy up to or support a man like Donald Trump, who has shown a total contempt for human rights and the lives of Palestinians, and who will only make a catastrophic situation even worse.

“There is a responsibility on all governments to condemn these awful plans, stand up to them and do all we can to halt them and to help in building a long-term and sustainable peace.”