Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress rejected President Donald Trump's statements about relocating residents of the Gaza Strip and having the United States take control of it, with some describing the controversial plan as "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

Democratic Senator Al Green stated on Wednesday in the House of Representatives, "Ethnic cleansing is not a joke, especially when it comes from the President of the United States, the most powerful person in the world, who has the ability to implement what he says. Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be ashamed to stand there and allow these statements. Ethnic cleansing throughout history has been a crime against humanity.

He added that the injustice in Gaza poses a threat to justice in the United States and that "Dr. Martin Luther King was right when he said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." He emphasized that he is ready to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump because of the "heinous and vile actions proposed," saying, "I stand here to announce that the impeachment movement has begun. I condemn what the president has said, and I condemn the complicity of the Israeli Prime Minister." The Democratic member from Texas had launched several impeachment attempts during Trump's first term.