President Donald Trump has said he wants the US to “take over” the Gaza Strip and create economic development after war has left it a “hell hole.”
Speaking at a White House press conference alongside the Israeli Prime Minister, Trump said:”The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.
“We’ll love it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous bombs and other weapons on the site… and get rid of the destroyed buildings [and] create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing.”
He later claimed the shock move would leave Gaza becoming the “Riviera of the Middle East” for the“world’s people” including Palestinians.
But earlier in the press conference the US president spoke of the resettlement of Palestinians from the “hell hole” of Gaza in countries elsewhere.
Trump said the U.S. would level destroyed buildings in Gaza and “create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”
Trump added Gaza’s population of roughly 1.8 million people should be transferred to countries “of interest with humanitarian hearts.”
He said on Tuesday that Gaza should not “go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that … lived a miserable existence there.”
Instead, he said Palestinians should go to other countries, without naming any specific countries.
“It could be sites or it could be one large site” where people would live “in comfort and peace”, he added. “They’re not going to be shot at and killed,”
Trump claimed that the “only reason the Palestinians want to go back to Gaza is that they have no alternative”.
He claimed the shock move had support elsewhere, including from other countries in the Middle East.
Trump added the rebuilding of Gaza could be “paid for by neighboring countries a great wealth.”
Asked whether he’d back Israel annexing the West Bank, Trump said he would lbe “making an announcement” on the matter at some point in the next four weeks.
“We’re discussing that with many of your representatives,” he said. “You’re represented very well… [but] we haven’t been taking the position on it yet.”
Netanyahu described Trump “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
“Your leadership has brought hostages home,” Netanyahu said, adding he had “confronted antisemitism, stopped funding UNRWA, and renewed maximum pressure against Iran.”
