President Trump stated Tuesday that the U.S. would “take over the Gaza Strip” and “personal it,” persevering with to advertise the concept the Palestinian folks ought to dwell elsewhere.
Mr. Trump, whose feedback got here at a joint information convention with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated the Palestinians in Gaza “mustn’t undergo a strategy of rebuilding” and that they’d “lived a depressing existence there.” Earlier within the afternoon, throughout a gathering with Netanyahu within the Oval Workplace, Mr. Trump stated the Palestinians ought to “resettle completely” in “good houses” some place else.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we are going to do a job with it, too,” Mr. Trump stated. “We’ll personal it and be accountable for dismantling all the harmful unexploded bombs and different weapons on the positioning, degree the positioning and do away with the destroyed buildings — degree it out. Create an financial growth that may provide limitless numbers of jobs and housing for the folks of the world. Do an actual job. Do one thing completely different.”
“Simply cannot return,” he continued. “When you return, it is gonna find yourself the identical means it has for 100 years.”
Netanyahu, who’s the primary overseas chief to go to Mr. Trump throughout his second time period, stated of the president’s thought, “We’re speaking about it. He is exploring it together with his folks, together with his employees. I feel it is one thing that might change historical past, and it is worthwhile actually pursuing this avenue.”
On whether or not U.S. troops can be despatched to Gaza, the president stated, “So far as Gaza is worried, we’ll do what is important. If it is necessary, we’ll do this.”
“We’ll take over that piece,” Mr. Trump added. “We’ll develop it, create hundreds and hundreds of jobs, and it will be one thing that the total Center East may be very happy with.”
The president was requested by a reporter what authority he has to take over a sovereign territory, and he replied that he is studied the matter carefully for months.
“I do see a long-term possession place, and I see it bringing nice stability to that a part of the Center East, and perhaps the complete Center East,” Mr. Trump stated.
The president stated his resolution about taking on Gaza “was not a choice made frivolously,” and he claimed he is obtained reward from different leaders within the Center East, although he didn’t establish any by title. Two sources stated later that high Trump aides knew upfront of Netanyahu’s go to that the president deliberate to announce the proposal concerning U.S. possession of Gaza.
Leaders of a number of of probably the most highly effective Arab nations beforehand stated they strongly opposed any suggestion that residents of Gaza be resettled in different international locations.
Saudi Arabia’s overseas ministry stated in an announcement reported by the Reuters information company Wednesday that the dominion “rejects any makes an attempt to displace the Palestinians from their land” and would not set up diplomatic ties with Israel with out the creation of a Palestinian state. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman affirmed the dominion’s place in “a transparent and express method” that doesn’t enable for any interpretation underneath any circumstances, the assertion stated.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri was additionally fast to dismiss the thought out of hand, telling Reuters the president’s “remarks about his need to regulate Gaza are ridiculous and absurd, and any concepts of this type are able to igniting the area.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat and the primary Palestinian-American to service in Congress, was blunt, asserting in a submit on X that Trump was “brazenly calling for ethnic cleaning.”
Prior to now, Mr. Trump has voiced assist for a “sensible two-state answer.” Gaza, a 139-square-mile strip of land that shares borders with Israel and Egypt, has been fought over for years. Palestinians have been refugees for many years, since Israel gained management of it within the 1967 Six-Day Conflict with Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
Requested who would finally dwell in Gaza as soon as it is rebuilt, Mr. Trump stated it needs to be a global place.
“I envision world folks dwelling there, the world’s folks,” he stated, including that the residents needs to be “representatives from everywhere in the world, Palestinians, additionally.” He stated it might be “the Riviera of the Center East.”
Mr. Trump opened the information convention by reinforcing his heat relationship with Netanyahu, saying they’d cast a profitable partnership in his first time period. He claimed that the final 4 years — underneath former President Joe Biden — had not seen as many successes.
He claimed “the grave harm across the globe that was performed, together with within the Center East … the horrors of Oct. 7 would by no means have occurred if I had been president.”
Within the wake of the bloodbath of Israeli civilians in 2023, nevertheless, Netanyahu praised Biden “for his very important assist for Israel.”
Netanyahu recommended Mr. Trump could also be unconventional, however he has good concepts, they usually work effectively collectively.
“After the jaws drop, folks scratch their heads they usually say, ‘You realize, he is proper,'” Netanyahu stated.
Netanyahu instructed reporters he discovered he had one thing else in frequent with Mr. Trump, too — he stated Iran has tried to kill them each.
Trump, Netanyahu meet in Oval Workplace earlier than information convention
Seated subsequent to Netanyahu within the Oval Workplace, Mr. Trump repeatedly stated he would not assume Palestinians need to return to Gaza and stated that he thinks Jordan, Egypt and different nations would settle for Palestinians, although they’ve stated they will not.
“They don’t seem to be gonna need to return to Gaza,” Mr. Trump stated, including that Palestinians would solely “find yourself dying” there, and suggesting Palestinians ought to have a everlasting settlement elsewhere.
“If we are able to get an exquisite space to resettle folks completely in good houses and the place they are often completely happy and never be shot, not be killed, not be knifed to dying, like what’s occurring in Gaza,” Mr. Trump stated. “And proper now you might have in Gaza a really harmful scenario when it comes to explosives all over, when it comes to tunnels that no person is aware of who’s within the tunnel. The entire thing is a multitude.”
The president stated different “wealthy” nations ought to pay for a brand new house for Palestinians, though he didn’t broaden on this suggestion.
Netanyahu largely allowed Mr. Trump to talk. One reporter requested the Israeli prime minister whether or not former President Joe Biden or Mr. Trump is extra accountable for the hostage and ceasefire deal.
“I feel President Trump added nice power and highly effective management to this effort,” Netanyahu replied.
The ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered partly by the U.S., continues to carry to date. Twin citizen Keith Siegel was the primary American to be launched for the reason that implementation started final month, though different People have been launched earlier than.
On Sunday, Netanyahu stated he would talk about “victory over Hamas” with Mr. Trump, in addition to countering Iran and constructing on diplomatic relationships with Arab nations.
Mr. Trump instructed reporters on Monday that he has “no ensures that the peace goes to carry.”
The president’s assembly with Netanyahu being his first with a overseas chief indicators how the Trump White Home views the U.S.-Israel relationship.
“Trump goes to proceed his assist for our nice ally, Israel,” nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz stated on Fox Information Tuesday.
Waltz stated the U.S. and Israel have “extra to go” when it comes to returning People held hostage. And the nationwide safety adviser stated the U.S. has to assume “realistically” about rebuilding Gaza.
“I might push again on the characterization of cleansing out Gaza,” Waltz instructed reporters Tuesday. “I feel President Trump is this from a humanitarian standpoint. You have got these folks which are sitting with actually hundreds of unexploded ordnance and piles of rubble. You realize, sooner or later now we have to look realistically. How do you rebuild Gaza? What does that appear to be? What is the timeline? I feel we, lots of people, had been very unrealistic timelines. We’re speaking 10, 15, years, not the 5 years. And so that’s what, that is what now we have to work by. That is a part of what we’ll work by with Prime Minister Netanyahu.”
Netanyahu final met with Mr. Trump in July at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Seashore, Florida, whereas Mr. Trump was nonetheless a presidential candidate.
Netanyahu congratulated former President Joe Biden on his win in 2020, one thing that Mr. Trump lengthy held in opposition to him. However the two have labored to restore the connection within the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist assault on Israel.
One reporter famous their relationship has had its ups and downs.
“I feel it is largely ups,” Mr. Trump stated Tuesday.
,
Jennifer Jacobs and
Aaron Navarro
contributed to this report.
Disaster within the Center East
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