ASIATODAY.ID, WASHINGTON – The US will take control of Gaza, President Donald Trump has proposed, pledging to rebuild the war-torn Palestinian enclave and create economic opportunities for its future residents. When asked if US troops would be deployed, Trump vowed to “do what is necessary.”
Speaking on Tuesday following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump reiterated his view that Palestinians should be permanently resettled elsewhere, adding that the US would “take over” Gaza and lead efforts to clear the destruction left by 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas.
“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,” Trump said, promising to “level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings.”
Asked to clarify what exactly he meant by a “takeover,” the US leader said he envisions a “long-term ownership position” that would supposedly bring “great stability” to the entire Middle East. “Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing it, and creating thousands of jobs,” Trump claimed.
Trump also said he is not ruling out deploying US troops to support his Gaza development plan. “We’ll do what is necessary. If it’s necessary, we’ll do that. We’re going to take over that place,” he said.
Approximately 92% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged, and around 1.9 million people – more than 90% of Gaza’s population – have been displaced since the war broke out in October 2023, according to the UN. Trump, a former real estate mogul, has repeatedly referred to Gaza as a “demolition site” in recent weeks.
When asked who would populate Gaza once the US “takes over” and redevelops it, and whether the Palestinian people would be able to return, Trump responded: “I envision… the world’s people living there. I think the potential in the Gaza Strip is unbelievable. And I think the entire world, representatives from all over the world, will be there and they’ll live there… Palestinians also.”
“I don’t want to be a wise guy. But the Riviera of the Middle East – this could be so magnificent,” Trump added.
Moscow rejects Trump’s Gaza plan
Russia has rejected US President Donald Trump’s plan to “take over Gaza.” A two-state solution is the only way to settle the Middle East conflict, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has reiterated.
Speaking on Tuesday following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump reiterated his view that the two million Palestinians who live in Gaza should be permanently resettled to countries such as Egypt and Jordan. The US would “take over” the territory and lead efforts to clear the destruction left by 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas, he added.
According to the UN, approximately 92% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged.
Moscow’s position is that the only way to resolve the Middle East conflict is to create a Palestinian state to exist side-by-side with Israel, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated during a press briefing on Wednesday.
”This is the thesis that is enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolution, this is the thesis that is shared by the overwhelming majority of countries involved in this problem. We proceed from it, we support it and believe that this is the only possible option,” he told reporters.
Trump’s resettlement idea has also been rejected by major Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, noted Peskov. Moscow holds the same position, he added.
Asked to clarify what exactly he meant by a “takeover,” the Trump said he envisions a “long-term ownership position” that would supposedly bring “great stability” to the entire Middle East.
Netanyahu praised Trump’s plan, saying that it “could change history.”
The proposal has faced significant international criticism. Palestinian authorities have denounced the plan, asserting that it violates international law. Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, as well as Türkiye, Germany, and China, have also condemned it.
Russia has consistently called for de-escalation of the conflict and a return to negotiations. Moscow has also engaged in diplomatic efforts, including hosting talks between Palestinian factions and advocating for international mediation.
A ceasefire, in which the US played a significant role, was established between Hamas and Israel in Gaza on January 19, after 15 months of hostilities.
Authorities in the enclave updated the death toll earlier this week to nearly 62,000, having added those who are missing and now presumed dead.
Saudi Arabia reacts
Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land, the country’s Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday, reiterating its “firm and unwavering” commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The comment followed US President Donald Trump’s proposal for an American takeover of Gaza. Speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said the US could assume control of the enclave, clear the remains of damaged buildings, and transform Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” He also reiterated his position that Palestinians should be permanently resettled outside of Gaza.
While not directly addressing Trump’s remarks, the Saudi Foreign Ministry released a statement that appeared to be a response to his proposal.
The ministry said it was reaffirming its “unequivocal rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.”
“Permanent peace” cannot be achieved without Palestinians securing their “legitimate rights” to statehood, the statement added, urging more “peace-loving countries to recognize the State of Palestine” based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The ministry stressed that Riyadh would not establish ties with Israel unless this key condition is met, insisting that its stance towards the Palestinians is “non-negotiable.”
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has praised Trump for thinking “outside the box” with his proposal for a US takeover of Gaza.
A key element of the proposal involves relocating Gaza’s roughly two million population to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan. Trump asserted that regional leaders supported his plan but did not provide specifics on how the relocation would be carried out.
The idea has drawn widespread criticism in the Middle East and beyond, with human rights organizations describing it as a form of ethnic cleansing.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, stated on Wednesday that rather than being relocated to other countries, Palestinians in Gaza should be allowed to reclaim their former homes in what is now Israel.
“For those who want to send” Gazans “to a happy ‘nice place,’” Mansour said, “let them go back, you know, to their original homes inside Israel. There are nice places there, and they will be happy to return to these places.”
Around 47,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 111,500 wounded during the 15 months of Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to the latest data from the enclave’s Health Ministry. UN data suggests that 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced by the fighting.
Israel launched its military operation in Gaza after a Hamas cross-border raid killed about 1,200 people and 250 others were taken hostage. A US-brokered ceasefire is in place with ongoing prisoner exchanges. Israeli authorities report 79 hostages remain in Gaza, 35 of whom are presumed dead. (RT)
Follow Us at Google News and WA Channel