Donald Trump has proposed that the United States “take over” the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents, sparking an immediate backlash from American allies and adversaries alike.
The US President’s audacious plan appears certain to heighten tensions ahead of further talks meant to extend the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.
Talks are ramping up this week with the promise of surging humanitarian aid and reconstruction supplies to help the people of Gaza recover after more than 15 months of devastating conflict.
Now Trump wants to push roughly 1.8 million people to leave the land they have called home and claim it for the US, perhaps with American troops.
He outlined his thinking as he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, where the two leaders also discussed the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israeli-Hamas conflict and shared concerns about Iran.
“I don’t think people should be going back,” Trump said.
“You can’t live in Gaza right now. I think we need another location. I think it should be a location that’s going to make people happy.”
Trump said the US would take ownership of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere and turn the territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East” in which the “world’s people”- including Palestinians – would live.
“We’ll make sure that it’s done world class,” Trump said. “It’ll be wonderful for the people – Palestinians, Palestinians mostly, we’re talking about.”
Egypt, Jordan and other US allies in the Middle East have warned Trump that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten Middle East stability, risk expanding the conflict and undermine a decades-long push by the US and allies for a two-state solution.
Saudi Arabia, an important American ally, weighed in quickly on Trump’s expanded idea to take over the Gaza Strip in a sharply worded statement, noting that its long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position”.
“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stresses what it had previously announced regarding its absolute rejection of infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or efforts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,” the statement said. (MSN)