WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump urged that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be completely resettled outdoor the war-torn territory and proposed the U.S. take “ownership” in redeveloping the realm into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump’s brazen proposal Tuesday seems sure to roil the following level of talks intended to increase the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and protected the discharge of the remainder hostages held in Gaza.
The provocative feedback got here as talks are ramping up this week with the promise of surging humanitarian support and reconstruction provides to lend a hand the folk of Gaza get well after greater than 15 months of devastating war. Now Trump needs to push kind of 1.8 million folks to go away the land they’ve known as house and declare it for the U.S., most likely with American troops.
Trump defined his considering as he held talks with Israeli High Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the White Space, the place the 2 leaders additionally mentioned the delicate ceasefire and hostage deal within the Israeli-Hamas war and shared issues about Iran.
Trump mentioned the U.S. would redevelop the territory after Palestinians are resettled in different places and switch the territory into a spot the place the “world’s people”— together with Palestinians — would are living. He introduced no element about what authority the U.S. would use to take the land and expand it.
Allies reject the speculation
Egypt, Jordan and different U.S. allies within the Mideast have cautioned Trump that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten Mideast balance, chance increasing the war and undermine a decades-long push via the U.S. and allies for a two-state resolution.
Saudi Arabia’s international ministry issued a sharply worded response to Trump, noting their lengthy name for an impartial Palestinian state was once a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.” Saudi Arabia has been in negotiations with the U.S. over a deal to diplomatically acknowledge Israel in alternate for a safety pact and different phrases.
“The duty of the international community today is to work to alleviate the severe human suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain committed to their land and will not budge from it,” the Saudi commentary mentioned.
Nonetheless, Trump insists the Palestinians “have no alternative” however to go away the “big pile of rubble” this is Gaza. He spoke out as his most sensible aides wired {that a} three-to-five-year timeline for reconstruction of the war-torn territory, as specified by a short lived truce settlement, isn’t viable.
Remaining week, each Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Jordanian King Abdullah II disregarded Trump’s calls to resettle Palestinians in Gaza.
However Trump mentioned he believes Egypt and Jordan — in addition to different nations, which he didn’t identify — will in the long run agree to absorb Palestinians.
“You look over the decades, it’s all death in Gaza,” Trump mentioned. “This has been happening for years. It’s all death. If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed and not be knifed to death like what’s happening in Gaza.”
Trump additionally mentioned he isn’t ruling out deploying U.S. troops to beef up reconstruction of Gaza. He envisions “long-term” U.S. possession of a redevelopment of the territory.
The president’s proposal was once greeted with alarm via Democrats and a measure of skepticism via his Republican allies.
“He’s completely lost it,” mentioned Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “He wants a U.S. invasion of Gaza, which would cost thousands of American lives and set the Middle East on fire for 20 years? It’s sick.”
“We’ll see what our Arab friends say about that,” mentioned Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and a Trump best friend. “And I think most South Carolinians are probably not excited about sending Americans to take over Gaza. I think that might be problematic, but I’ll keep an open mind.”
Trump meets with Israel’s High Minister Benjamin Netanyahu within the Oval Place of job of the White Space in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2025.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS by way of Getty Pictures
A delicate ceasefire
The White Space’s center of attention on the way forward for Gaza comes because the nascent truce between Israel and Hamas hangs within the stability.
Netanyahu is dealing with competing drive from his right-wing coalition to finish a short lived truce towards Hamas militants in Gaza and from war-weary Israelis who need the remainder hostages house and for the 15-month war to finish.
Trump could also be making a bet he can convince Egypt and Jordan to come back round to simply accept displaced Palestinians on account of the numerous support that the U.S. supplies Cairo and Amman. Laborious-line right-wing contributors of Netanyahu’s executive have embraced the decision to transport displaced Palestinians out of Gaza.
“To me, it is unfair to explain to Palestinians that they might be back in five years,” Trump’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, mentioned. “That’s just preposterous.”
Trump additionally signaled that he could also be reconsidering an impartial Palestinian state as a part of a broader two-state option to the decades-long Israel-Palestinian war.
“Well, a lot of plans change with time,” he informed newshounds when requested if he was once nonetheless dedicated to a plan like the only he specified by 2020 that known as for a Palestinian state. “A lot of death has occurred since I left and now came back.”
Netanyahu’s arrival in Washington for the primary international chief seek advice from of Trump’s 2nd time period coincides with the high minister’s widespread beef up sagging.
The high minister is in the midst of weekslong testimony in an ongoing corruption trial that facilities on allegations he exchanged favors with media moguls and rich friends. He has decried the accusations and mentioned he’s the sufferer of a “witch hunt.”
Being observed with Trump, who’s widespread in Israel, may just lend a hand distract the general public from the trial and spice up Netanyahu’s status.
“We have the right leader of Israel who’s done a great job,” Trump mentioned of Netanyahu.
Netanyahu praised Trump’s management in getting the hostage and ceasefire deal. The high minister additionally spoke glowingly of Trump considering outdoor the field.
“You say things others refuse to say. And after the jaws drop, people scratch their heads and they say, ‘You know he’s right.’”
Hamas in a commentary decried Trump’s feedback.
“We reject Trump’s statements in which he said that the residents of the Gaza Strip have no choice but to leave, and we consider them a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region,” the gang mentioned.
Netanyahu met with White Space nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz and Witkoff on Monday to start out the daunting paintings of brokering the following segment of a ceasefire settlement.
The Israeli chief mentioned he would ship a delegation to Qatar to proceed oblique talks with Hamas which can be being mediated via the Gulf Arab nation, the primary affirmation that the ones negotiations would proceed. Netanyahu additionally mentioned he would convene his safety Cupboard to speak about Israel’s calls for for the following segment of the ceasefire when he returns to Israel on the finish of the week.
Witkoff, in the meantime, mentioned he plans to fulfill with Qatar’s high minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in Florida on Thursday to speak about the following segment within the ceasefire. Qatar and Egypt have served as key intermediaries with Hamas all through the war.
Netanyahu is beneath intense drive from hard-right contributors of his governing coalition to desert the ceasefire and resume combating in Gaza to get rid of Hamas. Bezalel Smotrich, one among Netanyahu’s key companions, vows to topple the federal government if the warfare isn’t relaunched, a step that might result in early elections.
Hamas, which has reasserted regulate over Gaza for the reason that ceasefire started final month, has mentioned it is going to now not unlock hostages in the second one segment with out an finish to the warfare and Israeli forces’ complete withdrawal. Netanyahu, in the meantime, maintains that Israel is dedicated to victory over Hamas and the go back of all hostages captured within the Oct. 7, 2023, assault that caused the warfare.
Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Related Press writers Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, and Michelle L. Worth, Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro contributed reporting.
Cross Advert-Loose — And Offer protection to The Loose Press
The following 4 years will trade The usa endlessly. However HuffPost may not backpedal with regards to offering unfastened and independent journalism.
For the primary time, we are providing an ad-free enjoy. to qualifying participants who beef up our fearless journalism. We are hoping you’ll be able to sign up for us.
For the primary time, we are providing an ad-free enjoy. to qualifying participants who beef up our fearless journalism. We are hoping you’ll be able to sign up for us.
Make stronger HuffPost
Already contributed? Log in to cover those messages.
