Washington, Feb 4 (EFE).- US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States will “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip in the long term and rebuild it, turning it into the new “Riviera of the Middle East,” after permanently expelling Palestinians to other countries.
“I don’t want to be cute. I don’t want to be a wise guy, but – the Riviera of the Middle East. This could be so magnificent,” Trump said at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site. Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings. Level it out,” he said.
Not ruling out sending troops to Gaza
Trump did not rule out deploying US troops to fill a security vacuum in Gaza and assured that the US will do “whatever is necessary” to complete its reconstruction.
“As far as Gaza is concerned, we’ll do what is necessary. If it’s necessary, we’ll do that. We’re going to take over that piece that we’re going to develop it,” said the Republican real estate tycoon.
This is the first time that Trump, who campaigned on a promise to get the US out of wars in the Middle East, has spoken of a direct long-term involvement in Gaza and also the first time he has suggested that Palestinians should be permanently expelled to other countries.
Specifically, at the press conference, a journalist asked him what such an American occupation would consist of and if it would be prolonged, to which Trump replied affirmatively and said that he envisions a “long-term ownership position” over the Gaza Strip.
He also said that he has already talked about his idea with other parties, although he did not specify which, and claimed that “everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent.”
Palestinians claim the Gaza Strip as part of a future state along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem, so the displacement of the 2 million people living in the enclave and its development by the US would put an end to the concept of a Palestinian state as it has been conceived.
Asked about this, Trump avoided expressing for a two-state solution, which has been the traditional US policy on the conflict for decades, and reiterated his idea that Gazans be moved to other countries.
Resettlement in Jordan and Egypt
Since returning to power on Jan. 20, Trump has reiterated this proposal on several occasions and insisted that Jordan and Egypt should accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza, an idea flatly rejected by those two countries, as well as by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League.
For the first time, speaking to reporters at the start of his Oval Office meeting with Netanyahu, Trump suggested that Gazans should leave the Strip permanently and tried to frame it as a humanitarian measure, saying it was impossible to believe that anyone would want to remain in a war-ravaged territory, which he called a “demolition site.”
“You look over the decades, it’s all death in Gaza,” Trump added. “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.”
As the US president made these comments, both in the Oval Office and later in the press conference, Netanyahu looked on, smiling.
A victory for Netanyahu
During his first visit of a foreign leader to Trump in his second term, Netanyahu said he “we have to finish the job” in Gaza.
“In Gaza, Israel has three goals: destroy Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, secure the release of all of our hostages, and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”
He told Trump his “willingness to puncture conventional thinking, thinking that has failed time and time again, your willingness to think outside the box with fresh ideas will help us achieve all these goals.”
During the meeting, in addition to the future of Gaza, the leaders discussed the fragile ceasefire with Hamas, the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and the growing tension with Iran.
The visit was an international boost for Netanyahu, who left Israel for the first time since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him in November, a decision that Washington has strongly condemned. The US is not a party to the Rome Statute.
“By welcoming Israeli PM Netanyahu, wanted by the ICC to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the United States is showing contempt for international justice,” Amnesty International said.
Describing Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” Netanyahu took away not only comments that satisfy the Israeli far right from Trump, but also concrete actions in of Israel.
Before meeting Netanyahu, Trump signed an executive order to continue the suspension of funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) and to end US participation in the UN Human Rights Council, which Netanyahu accuses of being biased against Israel.
Trump also signed a memorandum re-establishing a tough policy with Iran, with the aim of preventing the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon and limiting its oil exports.
Pro-Palestine protesters had reportedly gathered outside the White House over the Netanyahu visit and Trump’s press conference. EFE
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