Washington [US], February 5: Meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on February 4, US President Donald Trump proposed the long-term relocation of Palestinians from Gaza and arranging for them to settle in surrounding countries.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, President Trump called on Gaza's neighbors , such as Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations, to accept Palestinians who were residents of Gaza before the conflict broke out there between Israel and Hamas.
Previously, the countries mentioned by Mr. Trump opposed accepting Palestinians from Gaza, but this time Mr. Trump went even further by supporting the relocation of Palestinians and in the spirit of "permanent" resettlement from Gaza, where only devastation remains after nearly 16 months of fierce fighting, according to Reuters today, February 5.
"I don't know why they (Palestinians) want to stay (in Gaza)," Mr. Trump said when asked about the reaction of Palestinians and Arab leaders to his proposal.
Later, with Netanyahu sitting next to him in the Oval Office of the White House, President Trump again repeated similar remarks, but this time suggested that Palestinians should leave Gaza for their own good.
Mr Trump's comments are in line with the wishes of the Israeli far right and go against his predecessor Joe Biden's pledge to reject the prospect of mass Palestinian displacement from Gaza.
At a joint press conference after meeting Netanyahu, President Trump made an unprecedented proposal, in which he wanted the US to "take over" and even "own" the Gaza Strip. "The United States will take over the Gaza Strip and we will have jobs there. We will own it," AFP quoted Trump as saying, adding that the Americans would bring stability to the conflicted part of the Middle East.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned President Trump's proposal, calling it a premise that would cause chaos and tension in the region, as Gazans refuse to be expelled from their land.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to visit the White House since President Trump took office on January 20. The meeting is seen as a demonstration of the close relationship between the two men after a period of tension in US-Israeli relations due to former President Biden's disagreement with Israel's handling of the conflict in Gaza.
The meeting also coincided with the start of the second phase of negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage release, which many experts predict will be fraught with obstacles.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
