WASHINGTON — In a shocking proposal, President Donald Trump mentioned Tuesday that the U.S. will “take over” the Gaza Strip, “degree the positioning” and rebuild it, after earlier saying Palestinians residing there ought to go away.
“They as an alternative can occupy all of a fantastic space with properties and security, they usually can dwell out their lives in peace and concord” in different areas or international locations, he mentioned at a information convention with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we are going to do a job with it, too. We’ll personal it and be accountable for dismantling all the harmful unexploded bombs and different weapons on the positioning. Degree the positioning and eliminate the destroyed buildings. Degree it out,” he mentioned.
“Create an financial growth that can provide limitless numbers of jobs and housing for the individuals of the world,” he added. “Do an actual job. Do one thing completely different.”
President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu communicate throughout a information convention within the East Room of the White Home, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington.
AP Picture/Evan Vucci
“We should always go to different international locations of curiosity with humanitarian hearts, and there are a lot of of them that need to do that and construct numerous domains that can finally be occupied by the 1.8 million Palestinians residing in Gaza, ending the loss of life and destruction and admittedly, dangerous luck,” he mentioned. “This may be paid for by neighboring international locations of nice wealth. It could possibly be one, two, three, 4, 5, seven, eight, 12. It could possibly be quite a few websites, or it could possibly be one massive web site,” he mentioned.
“However the individuals will be capable of dwell in consolation and peace and can get positive — we’ll ensure that one thing actually spectacular is completed. They will have peace. They are not going to be shot at and killed and destroyed like this civilization of — of great individuals has needed to endure. The one purpose the Palestinians need to return to Gaza is that they don’t have any various,” he mentioned.
“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 your complete Center East. And all people I’ve spoken to, this was not a call made flippantly,” he continued. “Everyone I’ve spoken to loves the concept of the USA proudly owning that piece of land, creating and creating hundreds of jobs with one thing that will likely be magnificent in a very magnificent space that no one would know.”
Requested who would dwell there, Trump responded, “the world’s individuals,” saying, “the potential within the Gaza Strip is unbelievable.”
“Historical past, as you realize, simply cannot let it preserve repeating itself. We have now a possibility to do one thing that could possibly be phenomenal. And I do not need to be cute. I do not need to be a clever man. However the Riviera of the Center East, this could possibly be one thing that could possibly be so … magnificent,” he mentioned.
Earlier, within the Oval Workplace, when he additionally raised the concept, a reporter requested if Palestinians relocated would have the best to return.
“Why would they need to return?” he responded.
“It will be my hope that we might do one thing very nice, actually good, the place they would not need to return,” he mentioned. Why would they need to return? That place has been hell. It has been one of many meanest, one of many meanest, hardest locations on earth,” he mentioned.
Requested about sending U.S. troops to Gaza, Trump appeared open to the likelihood.
“So far as Gaza is worried, we’ll do what is important. If it is necessary, we’ll try this,” Trump mentioned. “We will take over that place and we will develop it, create hundreds and hundreds of jobs.”
Netanyahu, delivering remarks after Trump, praised the president for his “recent concepts” to perform their targets, which he mentioned included making certain Gaza just isn’t a risk to Israel.
“I consider, Mr. President, that your willingness to puncture typical considering, considering that has failed time and time and time once more, your willingness to assume exterior the field with recent concepts will assist us obtain all these targets,” he mentioned.
Requested if his view that Palestinians must be relocated from Gaza is an indication that he’s towards the two-state coverage that has been the international coverage strategy of the USA for many years, Trump mentioned no.
“It does not imply something a few two-state or one state or every other state. It implies that we need to have, we need to give individuals an opportunity at life,” he mentioned. “They’ve by no means had an opportunity at life as a result of the Gaza Strip has been a hellhole for individuals residing there. It has been horrible.”
The president argued that his proposal would profit the Center East as an entire and never solely Israel.
“I’ve to emphasize, this isn’t for Israel,” he mentioned. “That is for everyone within the Center East. Arabs, Muslims, that is for everyone. You need to study from historical past. You may’t preserve doing the identical mistake over and over. Gaza is a hellhole proper now,” he mentioned.
“I’ve studied it. I’ve studied this very carefully over quite a lot of months, and I’ve seen it from each completely different angle,” he mentioned. “And it is a very, very harmful place to be. And it is solely going to worsen. And I believe that is an concept that’s gotten super — and I am speaking about from the very best degree of management — gotten super reward.”
He mentioned he had “a sense” that regardless of Jordan’s king and Egypt’s president opposing his thought to “clear out” Gaza and have them soak up Palestinians, they “will open their hearts and can give us the form of land that we have to get this finished. And folks can dwell in concord and peace,” he mentioned, because the information convention ended.
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