WSJ article sparks outrage for using partition of India to defend Trump’s Gaza ‘take over’ plan

A recent opinion article titled "If Indians and Pakistanis Can Relocate, Why Can’t Gazans?" published on the Wall Street Journal's website, sparked outrage online. The piece defended the displacement of Palestinians according to President Trump's plan by drawing a parallel to the mass exodus during the partition of India in 1947.

President Trump has repeatedly reaffirmed his vision of transforming Gaza into a real estate hub or "riviera of the Middle East," which involves removing indigenous Palestinians from the area for its ‘reconstruction.’

The proposal has been met with international condemnation, with the United Nations expressing serious concerns over the potential for ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza if the plan moves forward.

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In his article, author Sadanand Dhume argued, "No one expects Pakistan to transform its religious demography by offering a ‘right of return’ to descendants of Hindu and Sikh refugees. Why should it be any different for Israel?"

With this comparison, Dhume appeared to undermine Palestinians' right to return to their homes after being forcibly displaced by Israel.

The piece was heavily criticised not only by pro-Palestinian advocates but also by Pakistanis and Indians whose ancestors lived through the 1947 partition, during which 50 million people were displaced and nearly two million lost their lives in the mass exodus.

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“This is unhinged and sociopathic. The US Govt forced Indigenous people to relocate. It was genocide. Nazis forced Jews to relocate to concentration camps. It was genocide. Myanmar forced the Rohingya to relocate. It was genocide. WSJ is advocating for more genocide. Horrific.” Human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid said on X.

“In a sea of unhinged, narcissistic, illiterate, callous & inhumane opinion pieces on Gaza, we have an Outstanding Winner. How to dismiss decades of pain & continued suffering in one wave of a comfortable well-fed hand,” Writer  Priyamvada Gopal said. 

The Wall Street Journal would never publish someone calling for the permanent expulsion of Israelis. So why is it acceptable when its Palestinians? Former First Minister of Scotland stated.