US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday his intention for the United States to "take control of the Gaza Strip" during a joint press conference after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"The US will take control of the Gaza Strip" and "we will do a good job there. It will be ours and we will take responsibility for neutralizing all the dangerous unexploded bombs and all the weapons," the US president said, adding that the US will "get rid of" the "destroyed buildings" and proceed with work to economically develop the area, repeating the proposal that the Palestinians living in the enclave should leave.
Earlier, the US president had stated that he does not believe there is a permanent future for the Palestinians in Gaza.
Asked if he was willing to send US troops to fill a security vacuum in Gaza, Trump did not rule it out.
"As for Gaza, we will do whatever is necessary. If it is necessary, we will do it. We will take on this part and develop it," he said.
"I see a long-term ownership position and I see that it will bring great stability to that part of the Middle East, and perhaps to the entire Middle East," Trump told reporters.
"This was not a decision made lightly. Everyone I spoke to loves the idea that the United States will own this piece of land, develop it and create thousands of jobs with something that will be wonderful."
Trump, a former real estate developer, said he had studied the issue "carefully, for many months."
Speaking earlier Tuesday, Trump suggested that Gaza residents move to a new location provided to them by one or more Middle Eastern nations.
"I mean, they're there because they have no other choice. What do they have? It's a big pile of rubble right now," Trump said shortly before hosting Netanyahu for talks in the Oval Office.
In fact, he framed the issue as humanitarian, saying that it is impossible to believe that anyone would want to remain in the war zone.
"Why would they want to go back? The place was hell," Trump said, ignoring a reporter who shouted, "Because it's their home."
Instead of Gaza, he proposed giving the Palestinians a “good, fresh, beautiful piece of land” to live on.
But under repeated questioning, Trump made it clear that he does not see a world in which Palestinians will ever return to Gaza. When asked what he would do if Egypt and Jordan refused to accept the Palestinians, he said, "They can't say no to me."
"I don't think people should go back to Gaza. I think Gaza has been very unfortunate for them." He said: "Gaza is not a place for people to live."
Donald Trump, during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, was asked by reporters whether he deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his peace efforts in the Middle East.
The US president was typically... humble with his response.
"They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize," he said.
"Too bad. I deserve it, but they'll never give it to me."
Netanyahu, sitting next to Trump in the Oval Office, smiled as Trump spoke. The Israeli prime minister traveled to Washington to gauge Trump's positions on the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
Source: protothema
