Trump revealed his unexpected plan, lacking detailed information, during a joint press conference on Tuesday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was visiting.
This announcement came after Trump’s startling proposal earlier that day regarding the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to adjacent nations, referring to the enclave where the initial phase of a delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is currently in place.
Trump should anticipate significant opposition from both allies and adversaries regarding any potential U.S. acquisition of Gaza. Such a move would contradict longstanding U.S. policy and the views of much of the international community, which has maintained that Gaza should be incorporated into a future Palestinian state that encompasses the occupied West Bank.
“The U.S. will take control of the Gaza Strip, and we will manage it effectively,” Trump stated to reporters. “We will assume ownership and take responsibility for removing all hazardous unexploded ordnance and other munitions present in the area.”
If deemed necessary, we will proceed with that initiative; we intend to take control of that area, develop it, and generate thousands of jobs, creating a project that the entire Middle East can take pride in, Trump stated.
He expressed his vision of a long-term ownership stake, which he believes would contribute significantly to stability in that region of the Middle East. He mentioned that he had engaged in discussions with regional leaders who expressed their support for this concept.
When inquired about potential residents, Trump suggested that it could serve as a home for “the world’s people.” He emphasized the narrow strip, which has been heavily impacted by Israel’s military response to Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, as having the potential to become “The Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump did not provide a direct answer regarding the manner and authority under which the United States could assume control and occupy Gaza, a region inhabited by approximately two million individuals with a complex and tumultuous history concerning its governance. Previous U.S. administrations, including Trump’s first term, had refrained from deploying American military forces to the area.
Netanyahu, who Trump occasionally referred to by his nickname “Bibi,” avoided delving deeply into the proposal, instead commending Trump for his innovative approach.
The Israeli Prime Minister, whose military had been engaged in intense conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza for over a year, remarked that Trump was “thinking outside the box with fresh ideas” and demonstrated a “willingness to challenge conventional thinking.”
Some analysts have posited that Trump occasionally adopts an extreme stance on international matters to establish the framework for subsequent negotiations. During his first term, Trump made several foreign policy declarations that were perceived as excessive, many of which were never put into action.
TRUMP ADVOCATES FOR PERMANENT ‘RESETTLEMENT’
Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer for the Near East, remarked that Trump’s proposal would entail a prolonged U.S. military engagement and, if realized, would be perceived by the Arab world as evidence of Washington’s failure to learn from its experiences in nation-building in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Trump reiterated his appeal for Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab nations to accept Gazans, asserting that Palestinians had no choice but to leave the coastal region, which requires reconstruction following nearly 16 months of devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas militants.
In this instance, Trump indicated his support for the “permanent” resettlement of Palestinians, extending beyond his earlier suggestions that had been firmly rejected by Arab leaders.
The forced relocation of Gaza’s inhabitants would likely contravene international law and would face strong opposition not only within the region but also from Washington’s Western allies. Some human rights advocates equate this notion with ethnic cleansing.
Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, denounced Trump’s calls for Gazans to depart as “expulsion from their land.”
“We view these proposals as a formula for inciting chaos and tension in the region, as the people of Gaza will resist such plans,” he stated.
Trump, a member of the Republican Party, did not provide details on how a resettlement process might be executed, but his proposal resonated with the desires of Israel’s far-right factions and contradicted the commitment of Democratic former President Joe Biden against the mass displacement of Palestinians.