Photo: Tom Brenner / Reuters
US President Donald Trump has announced that he will soon meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, DC, and has also reiterated the idea of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan. This was reported by EFE.
On board the presidential plane Air Force One, on his way back to Washington from a party meeting in Florida, Trump told reporters:
“The meeting with Netanyahu is coming very soon.”
Israeli media outlets, including The Times of Israel, report that Netanyahu’s visit to the White House may take place as early as next week, which will be the world leader’s first meeting with Trump in his new presidential term.
The US President also confirmed that he had discussed with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi the possibility of resettling a million Palestinians. “I am sure they will help. We have done a lot for them, and they are our friends,” Trump said.
However, both countries categorically reject this proposal. Jordan has once again rejected the idea of an “alternative homeland” for the Palestinians, while Egypt has reiterated its position on the need for an independent Palestinian state. Moreover, Cairo denied any reports of a telephone conversation between Trump and al-Sisi.
Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians has caused a stir in the global community. The Palestinians refuse to leave their land, and neighbouring Arab countries have rejected this idea for decades. Meanwhile, Jordan and Egypt emphasise the importance of a political settlement that includes the Palestinians’ right to their own state.
