The United Arab Emirates leader told the United States' secretary of state on Wednesday that his country rejects a proposal to displace Palestinians from their land, the Emirati state news agency WAM reported.

Scholars of international law say President Trump’s vision for American control of a Gaza without Palestinians would be ethnic cleansing and a war crime.

Trump’s goals for the Middle East face a major test as Secretary of State Marco Rubio holds talks with leaders in Israel and Saudi Arabia.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel late on Saturday on his first trip to the Middle East, after a widely condemned proposal by President Donald Trump to displace Palestinians in Gaza.

The United Arab Emirates leader told Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday that his country rejects a proposal to displace Palestinians.

He discussed the plan with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who endorsed Israel's war aims in Gaza, saying Hamas “must be eradicated."

Netanyahu discussed the plan with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who kicked off a Middle East visit by endorsing Israel's war aims in Gaza, saying Hamas “must be eradicated.” That created further doubt around the shaky ceasefire as talks on its second phase are yet to begin.

US Secretary of State made no mention of Palestinians in a press conference with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday rejected any attempts to forcibly remove Palestinians from their land during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Abu Dhabi, according to state media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, February 16, 2025. Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Palestinians should be given the choice to leave Gaza.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is kicking of a Mideast tour in Israel on Sunday as Arab leaders reel from President Donald Trump’s proposal to transfer the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip

The secretary of state's comments in Jerusalem will likely face pushback from Arab leaders over Trump's plan to forcibly expel Palestinians from Gaza.