On Tuesday, President Trump floated the idea of the United States taking over the Gaza Strip, saying the country should be responsible for clearing the territory of rubble and unexploded bombs and proposing “economic development.”
Trump’s remarks are among his most extreme statements about the future of the territory where nearly 2 million Palestinians live and hope to become part of a future Palestinian state. Trump also stated that the United States would develop the land, but did not specify who would be allowed to live there.
The president stated that he expected Palestinians to live there, but also described the territory as an international hub where “the world’s people” would use it to access the Mediterranean coast.
The idea appears to be based on Trump’s 2020 peace plan, which called for the development of Gaza’s coastline for commercial and leisure resorts. The plan was created by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has a background in real estate development.
“I believe you will transform that into an incredible international destination…” I don’t want to be cute or wise, but the Riviera of the Middle East has the potential to be magnificent.
When asked about the possibility of sending US troops to Gaza, Trump stated that the US will “do what is necessary” as he laid out plans to take over the area and suggested a visit to the territory.
“As for Gaza, we will do whatever is necessary. “If it is necessary, we will do it,” Trump stated.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job — whether we’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out,” Mr. Trump said.
“Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area, do a real job, do something different.”
Trump made the comments during his opening remarks at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
“I do see a long-term ownership position,” Trump added.
“This was not a decision taken lightly. Everyone I’ve spoken with supports the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something magnificent in a truly magnificent area that no one knows about, no one can look at because all they see is death and destruction, rubble, and demolished buildings falling all over.”
Earlier, Trump stated that Palestinians in Gaza could be relocated and settled elsewhere and should not want to return.
Trump urged countries “of interest with humanitarian hearts” to construct “various domains” that could “be occupied by the 1.8 million Palestinians living in Gaza.”
Netanyahu praised Trump for his unconventional leadership style.
“You say things others refuse to say and after the jaws drop, people scratch their heads and they say, ‘You know, he’s right,'” Netanyahu told the crowd.
When asked if he supports Trump’s proposal, Netanyahu responded, “President Trump is taking it to a much higher level.” “He sees a different future for that plot of land.”
Arab nations have publicly opposed displacing Palestinians from the Gaza strip.
“Palestinians do not want to leave their land,” a senior Palestinian official and the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates said in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week.
“We support their position unequivocally,” they wrote in the letter, which called for Palestinians to “live in their land and help rebuild it.”
Later in his White House remarks, Trump reiterated that the United States would rebuild the Strip.
“We will take necessary action in Gaza. We’ll take over that piece and develop it. “Create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it will be something that the entire Middle East can be proud of,” Trump stated.
“I think we’ll be a great keeper of something that is very, very strong,” he said, adding that jobs created in Gaza will be “for everybody.”
