UN chief warns Trump against 'ethnic cleansing' as White House refuses to rule out US troops in Gaza: Latest
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres sharply warned against “ethnic cleansing” a day after Donald Trump’s shocking remarks about America taking over Gaza and ejecting Palestinians.
“We must not make the problem worse,” Guterres warned Wednesday, without directly naming Trump. “It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.”
He added: “At its essence, the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people is about the right of Palestinians to simply live as human beings in their own land.”
The former real estate developer shocked the world Tuesday when he said the U.S. would “take over” Gaza and “own” the territory at a press conference with Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House later refused to rule out US troops being deployed on the ground in Gaza.
Also on Wednesday Trump signed an executive order banning transgender female athletes from competing in women’s or girls’ sporting events. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would also make it clear to the Olympic Committee that “America categorically rejects transgender lunacy,” he said.
The order directs federal law enforcement agencies to take “immediate action” against schools that defy the order.
