US president reiterates plan to relocate all of Strip’s population, says his country may admit refugees on case-by-case basis; vows to ensure Palestinians are ‘not murdered’
US President Donald Trump reiterated on Sunday that he is committed to buying and owning the Gaza Strip, but could allow sections of the war-ravaged land to be rebuilt by other states in the Middle East.
“I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it, other people may do it, through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back.”
Trump made his remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to New Orleans to attend the National Football League Super Bowl championship.
He was referring to his plan to permanently relocate all of Gaza’s population and rebuild the Strip to create “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
“There’s nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site. The remainder will be demolished. Everything’s demolished,” he said.
“We’re gonna take care of the Palestinians and make sure… they’re not murdered,” he said.
Izzat al-Rishq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, condemned Trump’s remarks in a statement issued by the terror group. Hamas started the war, which has devastated Gaza, with its brutal onslaught of October 7, 2023, in which 1,200 were killed in Israel and 251 were taken as hostages to the Strip.
Trump last week floated the idea of the United States taking over Gaza and engaging in a massive rebuilding effort.
His statement was vague on the future of Palestinians and it was unclear under what authority the United States would take claim of Gaza. Trump’s announcement drew immediate rebukes from several nations.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Trump was set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and possibly Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, although he gave no dates for the talks.
The comments, delivered in an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, came in response to a question about Trump’s proposal to take over and redevelop Gaza.
Herzog did not say when or where the meetings would take place, nor did he discuss their potential content. He also noted that Trump is due to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah in the coming days, which Jordan’s state news agency has already reported.
“President Trump is due to meet with major, major Arab leaders, first and foremost the king of Jordan and the president of Egypt and I think also the crown prince of Saudi Arabia as well,” Herzog said.
“These are partners that must be listened to, they must be discussed with. We have to honor their feelings as well and see how we build a plan that is sustainable for the future,” Herzog said.
Saudi Arabia has flatly rejected Trump’s Gaza plan, as have many world leaders.
Jordan’s King Abdullah plans to tell Trump during their planned February 11 meeting in Washington that the proposal is a recipe for radicalism that will spread chaos through the Middle East and jeopardize the kingdom’s peace with Israel, Reuters reported last week.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was not immediately possible to contact officials in Cairo and Riyadh.
Content retrieved from: https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-us-will-own-gaza-mideast-states-can-help-rebuild-us-may-let-some-gazans-in/.
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