Photo: Mahmoud Ä°ssa / AFP
US President Donald Trump kept his large-scale plan to resettle the population of Gaza a secret, telling only his closest advisers before making a public announcement. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal.
According to two senior US administration officials, the proposal to fully control Gaza and forcibly evict its residents was a matter of “absolute secrecy” in Trump’s inner circle.
Moreover, even some of the most loyal supporters of Israel among Trump’s allies were shocked by the idea. One influential donor who has funded the president’s campaign for years called the plan “crazy” and warned that it included “too many unpredictable factors.”
“The US will take control of Gaza”
During a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump confirmed his intentions, saying:
“The United States will take control of the Gaza Strip and restore order there… We will be responsible for demining the territory, demolishing destroyed buildings, and creating economic development that will provide unlimited jobs and housing for the people of the region.”
He also did not rule out the possibility of deploying US troops in Gaza, noting:
“We will do everything necessary. If we need to deploy troops, we will do it.”
“Gaza should become a new Riviera”
According to Trump, Gaza is a “source of destruction and suffering” and its inhabitants “must go”. He said that 1.8 million Palestinians should leave the Strip, and that their resettlement should be funded by the rich countries of the region.
“They can go to one place, or seven, or twelve. We will do something incredible. There will be peace there – no missiles, no killing, no destruction.”
CNN analysts noted that Trump’s idea is reminiscent of his unsuccessful 2018 proposal for the DPRK, when he suggested that Kim Jong Un turn Pyongyang into an investment centre with skyscrapers and hotels.
The sharp reaction of Palestine and Saudi Arabia
The plan caused outrage among the Palestinian leadership. Hamas said it was “hostile” and would only exacerbate the conflict in the region.
“We strongly condemn the US president’s statements regarding the occupation of Gaza and the expulsion of our people. Such words only fuel instability,” the group said in a statement.
The Palestinian National Authority has also rejected the idea of forced relocation. Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee, stressed:
“We were born here, we live here, and we will not accept any attempts to drive us out.”
Saudi Arabia, which is negotiating the normalisation of relations with Israel, also distanced itself from Trump’s initiative. Riyadh’s statement reads:
“Saudi Arabia does not recognise any forced transfer of Palestinians. The Kingdom’s position on the Palestinian issue remains unchanged.”
